Dance of the Dragon King
by lady lutka
Summary: A valley of death stands between them. Three feet wide, six feet deep; she grasps at straws, chokes on a scream (excuse me for my death-sweet embrace): Lucy thought that a virtual world would grant her the freedom she so desperately deserved. There are forces of darkness working against her, however, and they ache to steal the beat from all ten-thousand of their hearts. /SAO AU
1. The Harbinger of Death

_**.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 ** _Dance of the Dragon King_**

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

* * *

 _one_

* * *

 **NOVEMBER 10** **th** **, 2021**

 _I feel as though life is almost meaningless, empty. I try my best, Mama, but I'm twenty now and the bounty for me has doubled. Father hasn't stopped trying to track me down. I'm thankful for the safehouses you kept secret from him but, as always, he finds a way — a way back into my world._

 _I can't hold down a job for longer than two weeks due to the fact I'm constantly moving around the country. I have no friends, no formal education and no one to lean on. Maybe it would be best to go back and marry the first man he suggests? At least I would have a home, and my children could grow up happy and unburdened. I may not be able to love my husband, but he would take care of me._

 _No. I apologise for thinking that. You must be rolling in your grave right now. I assure you, my resolve may have weakened but I will keep fighting. I will not let someone dictate my life. I'll manage, somehow. My only regret is not bringing more books. This boredom will kill me if my own clumsiness doesn't._

 _Love, Lucy._

* * *

 **DECEMBER 25** **TH** **, 2021**

 _I've moved to Marseille, in France. While reading through your journal, I found the address. I will admit that it took longer than I may have liked to translate your message, mother, but I managed. I think I will be safe here. Father never knew about the French lessons you gave me. While here I will visit the graves of both my grandmother and great-grandmother. It saddens me that you were not able to be put to rest where you grew up, but I will purchase some lilies and leave them behind in your stead._

 _It's beautiful here. I hope I can stay for a while._

 _Love, Lucy._

* * *

 **MARCH 1** **st** **, 2022**

 _Happy New Year, mother. Regrettably, I have bad news. I've received word from Suppeto that father is close to discovering my current location. I don't want him to find this beautiful cottage, so I will leave France and go to Tokyo. There I will change my name and try to simply fade into the hum of Japan. Marseille is stunning, but I fear my presence here will stand out. I will be returning here one day, that I am sure of. I only hope the home you built for me here survives should Father manage to pinpoint my exact location._

 _Love, Lucy._

* * *

 **APRIL 13** **TH** **, 2022**

 _Tokyo is loud, bright and much too crowded. While those conditions may be ideal for someone who wishes to disappear, I'm afraid my heart craves some place that is wintry, quiet and secluded. Beggars can't be choosers, though, I suppose._

 _Ah, I almost forgot. It is still a little too dangerous right now for me to seek out employment, so I may have found a solution for that. A Japanese game designer going by the name of Zeref has finally launched his software that enables a person to experience complete virtual reality. The invention is called the R-System, a piece of head gear that allows access to the user's brain and can then send fake signals to the five senses, and can also block every command from the brain to the body. The experience is called Complete Immersion, and it sounds rather exciting. I've purchased both the R-System and the first VRMMORPG also developed by him, 'Dance of the Dragon King'._

 _Maybe using this virtual reality, I can regain some of the freedom and the childhood I lost. It's currently half-twelve in the morning, and in another thirty minutes, the servers for DoDK will officially be open for those lucky enough to have landed a copy._

 _Wish me luck!_

 _Love, Lucy._

* * *

Lucy signed the letter with a small flourish, sealing it in a powder blue envelope and storing it with its unsent siblings. The digital clock ticked incessantly by her bedside, condescendingly counting the minutes. The excitement caused her knee to jitter, bare foot tapping against the soft carpet. Had she been back home, she would surely have been struck for acting so immature, like a little girl excited for Christmas and not the heiress of a multi-million-dollar franchise.

The thought dampened her mood slightly, and Lucy pulled a face to banish the memories. At quarter-to-one, she gathered snacks and water bottles for her bedside. As the forums had informed her, hunger and thirst were still a problem whilst in Complete Immersion. Though the food that could be purchased in-game dampened the effects, it merely replaced the sensation of hunger with satisfaction. Once she logged out, she might find her body back in the real world to be starved and dehydrated if she ignored the in-system warnings to take a break.

Her alarm clock chimed at ten-to-one, and Lucy dived for the R-System. While it calibrated, she stretched out on her bed, a thin blanket draped around her shoulders to keep the chill at bay. A small tinkling sound was all the warning she got before an assault of colour and sound robbed her conscience from the cramped and bare apartment.

 _Language: English/Japanese_

 _System check: confirmed_

 _Sound: confirmed_

 _Sight: confirmed_

 _System Start in_ **5** ◊ **4** ◊ **3** ◊ **2** ◊ **1**

 **Welcome to DANCE OF THE DRAGON KING!**

 _Please select a name and gender._

Lucy found herself in a monochromatic room, all dull greys and stark gun metal. Floating in front of her, almost hauntingly, was a simple keyboard. She quickly decided on a name, Layla, and set her gender for female. Once the game processed the entry she was led into another room, though this one was comprised of large mirrors. She saw herself there, honey blonde hair and brown eyes, wide hips and full breasts. She dutifully ignored the hauntings of sleepless nights below her eyes and the sickly pallor of her skin.

 _Please customise your character._

Counters appeared next and Lucy played with the sliders for a minute, slightly horrified as her forehead grew and then shrank. She decided then to keep her appearance fairly vanilla by only changing her facial features slightly. Brown eyes morphed into verdant green, hair lightened to platinum and woven with small flowers down her back. She kept the makeup mostly natural looking; wispy lashes and stained lips complimented feathery brows and a golden highlight.

The outfit came next, and Lucy was pleasantly surprised to find a range of tasteful ensembles to choose from. She decided on the number called Modern 3B, an ensemble of chestnut thigh high boots and a simple draped skirt and halter top, entirely sleeveless and backless. She wondered about the practicality of it three seconds after pressing **accept** but decided she could change later.

There was another brief countdown as the game connected to the main server, currently the only one. Only ten thousand copies of DoDK were sold as an opportunity for lucky players to play in advance to the rest of Japan, who would have to wait for more servers to be opened shortly.

 **Welcome to Oak Town!**

She was suddenly thrown to the pavement, and Lucy bounced with a shriek. All around her, bright flashes of light erupted, depositing players in much nicer fashions than she. Lucy quickly got up for fear of being trampled, shooting a glare at the brute that unknowingly shoved her. The plaza was becoming more crowded as each second went by, and Lucy decided to forgo the plaza to look around the shopping district.

Swiping her right index finger through the air opened up her menu, and Lucy found she had one-hundred dollars already, or jewel going by the manual. Deciding to first purchase a weapon of some kind and some food, she settled on a simple iron dagger and loaf of crusty bread. The NPC merchants called specials and offered quests, which Lucy quickly and gladly accepted.

The first request was to deliver a package to the butcher from the blacksmith, which awarded her a small fifteen jewel. The next one required a bit more walking, as she was asked by a kind old lady to find her wedding band in the forests surrounding Oak Town. She encountered a few wild boars, and was thankful for a tutorial that activated when one beast started charging her. Following the instructions spoken by an intangible voice, she settled into a wide stance. The voice urged her to keep lightly on the balls of her feet, dagger poised at the ready. She felt slightly silly; after all, she had never had to fight a wild boar with a dagger before, but pushed down the thought in favour of focusing on the agitated beast.

The tutorial instructed her further to take a deep breath and manoeuvre her stance so that her weapon-arm was guarding her chest and non-weapon arm was keeping her balanced. She felt a pressure building in her wrist as a special skill was activated, and it sent her rocketing forward. The dagger buried itself in the boar's side, and the animal shattered into red sparks rather than collapsing into a lifeless heap. She was grateful for that; the thought of killing a living animal still made her feel queasy despite the fact it was all make-believe. A message appeared after, alerting her to the fact she had gained ten EXP points and boar meat, which could be sold to a butcher for a few jewels.

Ten minutes later found her waist-deep in a small creek, the soft chiming of a bell signalling that her quest item, the wedding band, was close. She found it lodged under a rock, but when she pulled her hand from the water, there wasn't a ring.

Rather, there was a key.

Palm-sized and gilded with a rich yellow-gold, the simple key took Lucy's breath away. It felt surprisingly heavy and cool, though the longer she held it she found the warmer the metal became until it was much past natural. The teeth of the key resembled a fish tail, and the handle was shaped like a decorative urn belonging to Aztec ruins. Two twin waves carved into the gold and filled with small sapphires served as the only real clue as to what the key was.

Lucy held it softly as she skimmed through the manual and found no mention of mysterious golden keys buried in streams. She did find out how to 'appraise' the key though, and she swiped the air around the key as if she were pulling up her menu. A banner suddenly flashed in front of her key, as large as her game screen.

 **Congratulations!** it read and disappeared as quickly as it came. A small box had opened in its stead, titled _Zodiac Key – Aquarius_. There was no monetary value, and there was no option to 'drop' the item, neither was there a weight value.

 _Go to your skills menu to activate Call Celestial Spirit._

Lucy did just that, and scrolled through the list until she found the skill she was after.

 _Celestial Gate Keys can be used to call upon Celestial Spirits by swiping the air with the key and clearly enunciating the activation phrase. Silver Keys are the most common and can be purchased in magic shops around Fiore. Zodiac Keys, which tie the spirits of the Zodiac to Earthland through a direct link between the caster and key, are the rarest and can only be found by select players. These players are chosen at random by the game system and it is uncommon for more than two Celestial Maidens to be present in any one server at the same time._

 _In order to call upon these spirits, a contract must be made up between caster and spirit. This can be done by slashing the key through the air and repeating the following:_

 _ **I am the person who connects the road to the stellar spirit world. Thou shalt respond to the calling and pass through the gate**_

 _Once a contract has been determined, the full command will not be necessary when calling upon a spirit. The caster should only have to say_ _ **Open, Gate of the_**_ _followed by the spirit's type and name. A full list can now be found in the player manual._

Lucy absorbed the information and brought out her manual again, quickly finding the list of Celestial Spirit Keys which hadn't previously been there. The descriptions were accompanied by rough sketches, and Lucy was immediately able to recognize the golden urn and fish tail amongst the list. _Aquarius, Gate of the Water Bearer_ , it read. Lucy contemplated summoning her new spirit, but decided against it when finding that the sun was beginning to set. Promptly, she found the wedding band a few ways down from where Aquarius' key had been wedged and started back to town.

Only three boars bothered her on the way back, which equated to another level up and several more sacks of meat being added to her inventory. She sought out the elderly NPC quest giver first and was given a crash course in Fiorean marriage, a concept she hadn't known was available for players. She wondered at the ethics of that while accepting the small pouch of jewels, as well as the option to purchase wedding bands from the woman from now on. The butcher was next, and Lucy traded the boar ribs and pot belly for more jewel and some beef jerky, which the NPC assured had a longer durability than the cooked meats.

Just as she was about to prepare to log out, a strange sensation began in her stomach, similar to that of motion sickness. She was only allowed the liberty to marvel at that fact before the street went black, and then she erupted in sea-green light.

She materialized in another stream of cerulean, right in the middle of the plaza. All around her, players were being teleported, some yelling about not being able to log out. Lucy furrowed her brows at this and brought up the menu, clicking the system button and scrolling down to find no log out button. What had previously been there was no more, the empty little square seeming to mock her. Lucy banished her menu as suddenly the plaza erupted in red light, much like when she killed the wild boar in the forest. The ruby shards dripped like blood from the pink sky, coalescing into a large tear drop that quivered. The mass of crimson materialised into a large dragon, with wings that stretched farther than the plaza could contain. Shouts of awe sounded from players all around her, and Lucy herself felt impressed despite the situation.

"Welcome," it roared, "to _Dance of the Dragon King_. I'm sure many of you are befuddled over the small fact that the log out button has vanished."

Lucy felt herself nodding, Aquarius' key almost burning a hole through the pouch she had bought to attach to her belt.

"This is not a 'glitch', or error. I repeat, this is not an error."

Shouts sounded again, though these ones held varying degrees of anger and confusion.

"I have a test tomorrow, I need to be studying!"

"I have a job interview in the morning!"

"I ordered hot wings to be delivered at six! I ain't missing out on that!"

Lucy chuckled at that, and sought the voice out. All she saw was cotton-candy hair and a blinding white scarf before the player disappeared back into the crowd.

"Silence!" the crimson dragon roared, shock shaking the plaza. Lucy felt herself shrink under the dragon's sneer, suddenly fearing the beast.

"As of now, you are trapped in _Dance of the Dragon King_ until all one hundred and fifty levels are cleared. In addition to that, should your health reach zero points, your body in the real world will perish along with your avatar. A sensor in the R-System will effectively electrocute your brain, rendering you dead within seconds."

The shouts were back, but they were more befitting to the dragon's own roars. Many were pushing others out of the way in their haste to reach the drake, swords unsheathed.

"Should the R-System be forcibly removed, you will also be electrocuted. Three hundred and two players have already perished due to the forceful removal of their R-System."

To prove this fact, news articles in hundreds of languages flashed before them, but the headlines were clear enough to read:

 **HUNDREDS DEAD AFTER** **R-SYSTEM FAILURE.**

 **Statement released by game designer confirms Death Game fears.**

 **Award winning actress Jenny Realight killed by popular R-System.**

 **THOUSANDS TRAPPED IN VIRTUAL DEATH GAME.**

"I repeat: if you die while trapped, your real body will perish. All one hundred and fifty levels must be cleared before all players are allowed freedom from _Dance of the Dragon King_."

Lucy didn't think she could take much more. Her knees threatened to give out, but she locked them in place, fists clenching.

"All ethical and profanity filters will be removed and destroyed by the game system, E.N.D. Should you have any more questions, please refer to the game manual. A gift has also been given to all players, labelled _Mirror_. You can find it in your inventory."

Lucy scrambled for her inventory, and found the _Mirror_ in her miscellaneous quest items. When equipped, she saw her reflection staring back at her in the handheld mirror. It disappeared in a shower of golden sparks as the durability ran out, and Lucy was confused until she looked around her. One by one, the mirrors were shattering and taking stylised character faces with them. She watched a young girl turn into a middle-aged man, a mountain of muscle whittle back down into a prepubescent boy. She caught that glimpse of pink again, and was confused to see the man's strange hair remain even after the mirror shattered. Perhaps it was a glitch?

"Holy shit! My name! It took the names, too!"

The plaza erupted into even more confusion, and when Lucy brought up her menu she found that her previous name of Layla had been replaced with her real name, Lucy Heartfilia. Alarm took her then, and she scrambled to find a way to hide the telling surname. She found no such thing, and quickly closed her menu before any other player could read her shame.

What if her father had spies even in a virtual world? How far would he go to lock her back up again in her tower?

She forced herself to calm down at that ridiculous idea. Her father was currently in Mexico, living in Mexico City to manage the South American extension of the franchise. There would be no possible means for him to know about a Japanese-exclusive game, and even if he did, he would never think she would indulge in such childish practices. She was safe here, possibly safer than she was in the real world.

"Luck be with you," the dragon rumbled over the noise, and disappeared in a blinding shatter of ruby shards.

The silence did not last, as yelling erupted throughout the plaza. _This is just some first-day trick! Yeah! See, nothing will happen if I do this!_ More screams, a shocked gasp. Sobbing. She refused to turn around, the sounds of choked cries confirming her fears: the crimson dragon hadn't been lying. They were imprisoned.

Lucy scurried from the loudness of it all, needing quiet to reign in her emotions. If the dragon had been right, which she knew he was, and they were truly trapped in a death game, then she would need to stock up. Lucy was relying mostly on the skills years of reading fiction and fantasy alike had managed to iron into her young, impressionable mind. The coping mechanism may have seemed a little strange, but it was all she could do without feeling the need to hyperventilate.

She headed to the armoury first and bought some light armour she could use for travel, a complete set in a soft hue of blue and tanned leather. Durable, and sturdy enough to protect her from a sword's blade. Lucy decided to keep her thigh high boots, and instead took them to a cobbler to be reinforced with lightweight aluminium and sturdier wood for the heel. He added iron to the buckles and incorporated a steel toe cap, and she even managed to haggle the price down slightly.

The blacksmith was next, and she traded her iron dagger for a simple key ring from the friendly NPC and purchased a steel dagger which was longer than her previous, and engraved with magical runes. The item description told her that the enchanted blade would deal 5+ stagger damage to any opponent, but the durability was less than that of an ordinary steel dagger. Lucy accepted the compromise though, and decided at the last minute to also purchase a small shock-absorbing leather whip that could wind around her wrist when not in use.

Lucy spotted some players making their way out of the city, but decided against joining them. Instead, she consulted the area map and made her way to the inn. There were still quite a few vacancies left, so Lucy didn't feel so guilty about renting an entire room to herself. The NPC innkeeper summoned a small house pixie called Honeybelle to show Lucy the way to her new home. The small creature glowed a soft pink, no bigger than the finger of a newborn child. Honeybelle tugged lightly at Lucy's blonde hair, small wings chiming as she fluttered about with the vigour of a hummingbird. They stopped at the first door on the second landing, and Honeybelle buzzed happily by Lucy's cheek.

"Thank you, Honeybelle," she said softly, mindful of the other patrons asleep.

The pixie fluttered about for several seconds more around the door handle, before shooting off back to the innkeeper. When she touched the handle, still glowing faintly from the pixie's flight trails, the door swung open softly.

Lucy eyed the modest abode gratefully, feet already leading her to the bed and collapsing upon it. While taking her key ring from storage, Lucy decided to unequip her boots and belt, leaving her in the skirt and halter top. Aquarius' key warmed again when Lucy brought it from her pocket and slipped it onto the ring. Maybe the spirit was eager to set a contract? She would definitely have to call the spirit soon, maybe tomorrow somewhere secluded.

Sleep quickly stole her, and her dreams were unsurprisingly haunted by crimson dragons and scowling businessmen. Several hours later she awoke to a light tinkling noise, and upon further inspection, she pinpointed it to her messages. Confused and bleary-eyed, Lucy read through the short paragraph. It was a system message, informing all players that guilds had officially been unlocked. Along with the message, she found her map stamped with symbols and marked with names. The guilds, she realised, and read a few aloud; Lamia Scale in Margaret Town, Sabertooth in Balsam Village, Fairy Tail in Magnolia.

Lucy closed the message and tried to steal a few moments more of rest, but the sunrise made it hard to do so without sufficient drapes to keep the light out. A knock on her door had her scrambling up, and Lucy pulled the door open to reveal the innkeeper.

"Yes, sir?"

"Breakfast is served, miss," the man said with a sunny smile, and Honeybelle floated the tray into her room with a cloud of pixie dust.

"Oh, thank you," Lucy smiled, offering a few jewels to the NPC. He accepted them and left her to eat the simple bowl of oats, rosehip tea and a small sweet loaf.

Satisfied and well-rested, Lucy equipped back into her boots and belt, ready to head out and start 'grinding', as she'd overheard other players call it. The fields were teeming with small packs of boar and players alike, some already established in impromptu parties. Lucy set to work, using both her whip and dagger in turn. Most players kept to themselves, but Lucy didn't really mind — after spending most of her time alone in the real world, having no friends in virtual reality wasn't too much of a concern. Perhaps it would be a nice change of pace to have a partner to level up with and watch her back, but Lucy would worry about that later. Her only concern was increasing her strength so she could stand a chance against the other, far more experienced players.

She passed four months like this, and Lucy was happy to see her level had increased from level three on day one to level twenty by the end of the quarter. It wasn't exemplary when compared with other players, but Lucy was happy to be moving along steadily. Aquarius had been a big help, for the longer Lucy was able to sustain her gate, the more EXP she was granted. So far, she hadn't found any more keys or any other Star Maidens, but Aquarius had more than enough sass to make up for that.

Most humbling was the news that one thousand players lost their lives in the first month alone, and despite that sacrifice, the first boss had yet to be cleared in the dungeons just outside Oak Town. During her time in Oak Town, Lucy hadn't felt ready to participate in a party clearing the dungeons, but after all her training, finally thought she was able. Her whip and simple dagger had been upgraded in the first month of levelling, and now she carried a lightweight dagger, longer than most and curved to contour her forearm. A full-sized whip swung on a fast on her belt, her first whip wound around her arm like an elaborate arm band.

That morning, Lucy was ushered into the plaza by a group of players she vaguely remembered from the hunting grounds outside the forest. When they reached the plaza, Lucy was surprised to find someone had reset the settings of the plaza to make it resemble an old amphitheatre. In the stadium stood a warrior woman with scarlet hair, equipped with a pristine set of armour Lucy had never seen the likes of before. Her presence commanded attention, and Lucy was slightly nervous about what was to come. Would it be bad news?

She joined the other players seated on the stone steps, who were all as confused looking as she was. Fifty players had gathered, most of whom Lucy could recall seeing while levelling or walking about town. There were a few new players though, and she could only assume they came from outlying villages around Oak Town.

"Has everyone gathered?" the woman with the scarlet hair called, and the assembled players all glanced around nervously at each other. The woman nodded to herself then, before clapping her hands loudly once to gain their attention again.

"My name is Erza Scarlet, though most of you may know me as the Titania," she introduced, and Lucy noted that many players erupted in startled whispers.

"The Titania is here?"

"She got the furthest in the beta test, didn't she?"

"I heard she took down an entire mob of type-A beasts single-handedly."

"I have gathered you all here today so that we can plan a full-scale attack on the level one boss!" she declared, and was met by a poignant silence.

"You've scared them to death, Erza" a teasing voice called from the front row, and Lucy spotted pink hair and a white scarf.

Erza glared at the man, before continuing her speech. "My team and I have been scouting the dungeons leading up to the boss room and can confirm that it is nothing like the beta. Had it been exactly like the beta version, my team and I would have had no qualms clearing it ourselves. However, we are only few and helping hands are imperative to our cause!"

Silence followed once again, broken only by the cackles of the strange pink-haired man.

"My team," Erza stressed, and the command pulled the players in the front row towards her, "and I would greatly appreciate all the help we could get. Before making up your mind, please stay seated and listen to our plan before making any final decisions."

Erza's team consisted of the pink-haired man, though Lucy was hardly surprised considering how comfortable he was with aggravating the Titania. Beside him stood another man, though this one was strangely shirtless and kept pushing a mop of dark, midnight blue hair from his eyes.

"Gray will explain the details of the plan," Erza cued the dark-haired man, and he spoke with a disinterested-sounding voice.

"The mobs have already been cleared. Should they regenerate, they will be easy enough to plough through without risking too much health. The boss itself is still an unknown; in the beta, it was a giant werebear type beast. Your guess is as good as mine at this point."

"I hope it's a dragon," the pink-haired one interrupted, eyes wide and the grin on his lips near-feral.

"Natsu, no interrupting!" Erza scolded.

The man, Natsu, simply cackled again and Lucy gasped when a flicker of flame began to dance along his clenched fist. The other players weren't as surprised and shot her annoyed looks. Of course, leave it to Lucy to forget they were trapped in a magical death game.

"As I was saying," Gray glared at Natsu, gaze frosty enough to make even Lucy want to duck her head in shame, though it seemed not to bother the pink-haired man, "we will go in teams of four or five. Usually, mobs will also spawn with the boss; if we're lucky, we won't have to deal with cannon fodder. If not, then three parties will focus on dealing with the mobs while the rest take the boss. You keep whatever items are dropped for you and at the end, we will share the jewel evenly amongst everyone. Whoever lands the last hit on the boss gets to keep the rare item drop. Is that clear?"

A few questions were fired off, and Lucy listened intently to each, storing the answers away. It took several minutes for the full cycle of questions to teeter off and then they were left to group into parties. Lucy blinked in slight confusion as she found herself the odd one out, everyone else having quietly made parties during the question round. Slightly uncomfortable, she shifted in her seat. If all the other parties were full, then she would just have to join Erza and her team. She quickly made her way towards them, smiling a little disjointedly as she watched Natsu cram a whole turkey leg in his mouth.

"Do you have a question?" Erza asked, and Lucy nodded her affirmative.

"Well, it seems that we had odd numbers… and Gray said that he wanted parties of at least four to five, so I didn't think it would be that big of a deal if I could join yours? Just for this boss, I swear. You'll hardly notice I'm there."

Throughout her ramble, she hadn't noticed Natsu's eyes going wide with each word he spoke, until he finally erupted in laughter. "What a weirdo!" he guffawed, and Lucy felt the urge to go over and slap some sense into him.

"I understand if you're not exactly partial to having such a new player in a group like yours. Really, it is. I could go solo."

Erza simply shook her head with a small smile, miniscule enough that Lucy had to peer closely to see it. "We would love to welcome you in. Perhaps you'll learn a few things or two."

"I'd like that," Lucy said softly, relieved that they had agreed. Erza sent her the party request and Lucy accepted without a second thought.

"Lucy," Gray drawled, peering at a point just over her shoulder.

She frowned at that, not seeing anything to indicate where he had read her name. Erza, having noticed, instructed Lucy to gaze carefully at the place her health bar would be, and to her surprise, she found all three members' health bars beneath her own. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed Natsu was poisoned, and questioned the man himself.

A grin split his lips, understanding dawning upon him. "It means I _can't_ be poisoned, see that little symbol thingy? It's Greek, I think."

"Wow," Gray drawled, "I didn't even think you knew English."

Natsu simply flipped Gray the bird, his dark eyes seeking out Lucy's. She almost shrank back but stood her ground, shoulders squaring up. He eyed her for a while, walking circles around her prone figure as if searching for any faults. Finally, he hummed, "You'll do."

Lucy chose to ignore that comment, though her cheeks puffed up slightly with the effort.

"Natsu will mark the dungeon entrance point on each party leader's map. It will take forty-minutes on foot to reach the dungeon, so leave Oak Town at five in the morning. The sooner we clear this level, the sooner we can go home. Understood?" Erza directed to the gathered crowd of players, and this time was met with a weak rally cry.

"That's better than nothing, I suppose," Gray drawled, slapping Natsu once on the shoulder and walking off towards the plaza entrance.

Lucy chose to stay, watching Natsu and Erza interact with the players. Gazing upon them now, she could clearly see the tell-tale traits that marked their prior experience in the beta test: Erza's confident directions, Natsu's lazy manner of talking each party through the plan once more, their confident postures and advanced equipment. She wondered how many beta testers had been trapped; perhaps she could ask for some training from one?

"Yo, Luigi," a voice called, and Lucy's brows raised when she realised it was Natsu.

"My name is Lucy," she tried to sound patient, but Natsu's blasé mannerisms really grated on her nerves for some reason.

"Yeah, yeah," he waved her off as if she were merely an annoying fly, "the rest of us are gonna get some dinner. You interested in joining?"

Truthfully, she was more than tired of crusty bread and leathery beef jerky. Surely, as beta testers, they knew of wonderful diners and restaurants? "Sure," she replied eagerly, a smile brightening her eyes.

Natsu grinned back at her, wrapping a hand around her wrist and dragging her off to where Erza and Gray waited. His grip felt stifling warm, and Lucy eyed the tan appendage. Her mind went back to the moment when she had seen flames dancing along his fist like an eager serpent, and wondered if that strange talent of his affected his body temperature. She would ask him later.

"So where are we going?"

That same feral grin split his lips, and Lucy blanched when she saw fangs peeking from behind his top lip.

"There's a barbecue house near Phantom Lord that we usually go to. You'll love it!"

"And, what's Phantom Lord?" she asked curiously, and Natsu's gaze met hers sharply.

"You really don't know anything," he hummed. Lucy squirmed to yank her wrist from his grip, and he allowed the action, arms coming to cross over his chest.

"This is my first time playing any kind of video game, be it virtual or not. I'm sure you can cut me some slack for that," she bit back, and could feel annoyance flushing her cheeks.

Natsu smirked a little. "Sure thing, Luigi."

Lucy breathed a deep breath, recognising the mischief in his eyes. With eyes closed, she tersely asked, "So what is Phantom Lord?"

"It's a guild," Natsu said flippantly, and when she opened her eyes she noticed a slightly distant look to his, "one you should stay away from. They're not the nicest type of people."

She frowned slightly. "But, I thought all the guilds in Fiore were 'good'?"

"Most are. But there's still a couple legal guilds that don't exactly give a shit about the law."

She stored that information away, and was about to ask another question when Natsu erupted.

"Man, I'm not good at explaining this stuff! If you wanna know more, Mira can just show you," he rubbed his stomach then, covered by a simple tunic, "I'm hungry. Let's hurry up."

Once again, she was dragged behind him as he darted off, her wrist snagged in a calloused grip. He pushed past most other players, a force to be reckoned with. She was flung into his back when he stopped suddenly, nose bouncing off his shoulder blade. She let out a cry at that and rubbed the spot, shooting him a glare. Natsu just laughed with eyes alight with amusement.

"C'mon, Luce. I'll pay since you're a newbie and all."

He disappeared through the doorway before she could reply and she followed after a moment's pause. She spotted Erza and Gray just turning the corner, and was about to wait for them when a tan hand closed around her upper arm and yanked her through the door.

"Natsu, calm down!" she cried, almost toppling over. This time he caught her, sparing her nose from smashing into his collarbone.

"Hurry up," he whined, and pointed at the menu above their heads, "pick something."

Lucy skimmed the menu quickly before deciding on charred boar cutlets. Natsu pointed at the sides menu before recommending the loaded potato skins, which he ordered despite her refusal.

"I'll eat them if you don't want them," he managed around a complimentary bread roll. Lucy simply thanked him for the free meal and wandered off to where Gray and Erza stood by a booth, presumably reserved for their group.

Dinner was a quiet affair, each party member focusing on enjoying their meal rather than conversation, which came later over tea and coffee.

"So, Lucy," Erza addressed, carefully pouring the first mug of tea from the large pot. "I overheard that this is your first time playing any sort of video game?"

Lucy blushed, playing with the thin handle of her fine teacup. "Yes, it is."

A red brow raised, and Gray let out a low whistle. "You got some crappy luck," he uttered, and Lucy wholeheartedly agreed.

"In an age so technology-driven, I find it strange for a person to not be familiar with video games, given their popularity. I wonder, how does such a thing occur?" Titania mused aloud, absentmindedly stirring the contents of her teacup with a beaten copper spoon.

"Well…" Lucy began, stumped as to how she could answer Erza's question without revealing her life as a runaway, and the restrictions caused by constantly needing to stay hidden from a man in possession of all means possible to drag her back. Deciding on a somewhat overused response, she said as carelessly as she could, "I was raised by strict parents. There wasn't much time for games when there was studying to be done."

Erza hummed in acceptance, nodding her head as she agreed with Lucy, "Ah, yes. My apologies, perhaps I should have realised sooner. Truthfully, I had rather strict parentals, but I was always dragged from my studies to play videogames by these two here," at that, she gestured towards Gray and Natsu, a fond smile lifting the concentrated frown from her lips.

"Yeah, and we got beat up every time," Gray snorted, meeting Lucy's gaze playfully. "I mean, we were just the annoying neighbours. She didn't have to even answer the door."

"Speak for yourself," Natsu mumbled around a mouthful of loaded potato.

"Sorry, I meant to say the annoying kid next door and the dumbass from across the street."

A small scuffle then ensued, stopped only by Erza when Gray moved to stand up. "Boys," she hissed, "can we not enjoy a nice dinner without the two of you acting like children?"

"Now you're asking for the impossible," Natsu drawled lazily.

One final sharp look from Erza quietened the men down, and dinner was once again a silent affair. Erza offered to walk the girl back to the inn, but Lucy refused, deciding that she needed solitude once again after such a busy day. She wished her team well, waving them off from outside the restaurant, and she stayed until their figures disappeared around the corner.

As she began her walk home, the sun began its descent. Lucy took several moments to savour the sight, raising her face towards the heavens. The sunset was rose-golden, washing the streets with pale russet. Her skin glowed with the tinge, making her feel as if she were carved from precious metal and set upon a mighty mountain, forever keeping vigil over mankind.

The thought teased another smile from her lips; even here, trapped in a game where an empty health bar meant death, she still managed to find herself getting caught in daydreams.

With one final look at the sunset, Lucy hurried back to the inn, where she would force herself to sleep despite the nerves fluttering in her stomach. Tomorrow would be a momentous day; the first dungeon of one-hundred and fifty.

* * *

 **AUGUST 16** **TH** **, 2022**

Her alarm woke her at four-thirty, and Lucy shivered as a frosty chill crept from the open window to wrap around her bare skin. She was quick to equip her light armour, loaned to her by Erza after they ate dinner together. Her belt clung to her hips tightly and Lucy smiled as Aquarius' key swung from the ring studded into the leather. She decided against staying for breakfast, and instead nibbled on a buttered honey roll as she left the inn. She made sure to set a waypoint for the mark Erza made on her map, and was pleasantly surprised when another pixie was summoned.

This one was called Wayfinder, and she was golden much like Honeybelle, the house pixie. Wayfinder fluttered a few times by Lucy's ear, chiming wings tickling Lucy's cheek, before zooming off. A golden trail was left by her wings, and Lucy hurried to follow the pixie before the stream of twinkling lights faded into the morning darkness.

Wayfinder took her through the dense woods, past a rushing brook and through a small gully. Lucy balanced precariously on the rocks, hands grasping at exposed tree roots. Wayfinder waited by the mouth of the gully, urging Lucy forward with encouraging chimes of her bell-like wings. Finally, she managed to scale the rocks, and was not able to even gain her breath before Wayfinder fluttered off again.

Lucy groaned but picked up the pace, and soon enough Wayfinder stopped in front of a large cave. There was a name etched into the stone by its entrance — _The Cradle_. Lucy shivered as another cool wind nipped at her fingertips and she hurriedly equipped a simple pair of leather gloves, a quest item rewarded to her after assisting the stable master. Wayfinder slowly disappeared back to wherever she came from, and Lucy ignored the slight pang of loneliness that followed.

The clock on her menu indicated it was only half-five; she had another ten minutes before players started to slowly trickle in from the path leading south. Lucy settled in to wait, biding her time by reading through the manual again. Nerves danced in her stomach in the form of butterflies, and she rubbed at the skin anxiously. She would be lying if she said she wasn't scared — if something went wrong, she would lose her life. There would be no second chances, no opportunities to simply retry. One poor decision could bring death.

At quarter-to-six, parties began to emerge from the southern forests, more than a few muddy and yawning widely. She was surprised to find that her party were not amongst the players here, given Erza's speech about punctuality the day before leaving the amphitheatre.

"Hey, you're that chick that's partying with the beta testers."

Lucy directed her gaze upwards, where the very same brute who pushed her over the first day towered above her. Lucy simply nodded, cautiously folding her arms across her chest.

"What are they like?" he questioned eagerly.

"They're like normal people," she said simply, shrugging because really, they were. It was a fact she learned while dining with them, in which Natsu has sneakily stolen food from Gray's plate and had a drink thrown in his face by the other man.

The brute watched her carefully. "But they're beta testers. Aren't they, you know, up themselves?"

Lucy remembered the way Erza had offered her a bite from her fruit tart and decided that no, they weren't selfish. She was saved from answering, however, when the familiar voice of Gray piped up.

"How about you ask them yourselves?"

Lucy frowned when she realised a crowd had gathered around her and the brute, who had the decency to at least look ashamed.

"We will not tolerate any school yard behaviour," Erza declared with a steely glare. "We are not simply playing a game anymore. We are playing for our lives. Let this be your first and last warning."

Natsu came forward and gathered Lucy's wrist in his hand again, gently leading her away from the crowd of inquisitive players. He flashed a grin and mumbled a soft apology for being late.

"Now, is everyone accounted for?" Erza called, and each party leader raised their hand.

"That's everyone," Gray confirmed, and ruffled Lucy's hair gently. "We got held up back in town. You ready?"

"Yes," she affirmed, squaring her shoulders.

Erza nodded and took the first step into the cave, followed by the rest of their party and the other players, who weren't as thrilled as the Titania. When Lucy stepped through the mouth of the cave she was greeted by a perpetual darkness, only broken when Natsu lit a fist ablaze. Lucy moved aside to let him squeeze past, the narrow walls of the tunnel constricting even miniscule movement. His chest brushed against her shoulder, her scabbard almost getting hooked in his long coat. He chuckled as she fumbled to untangle them, and that small laugh seemed to lighten the heavy tension.

Their footsteps echoed as the tunnel widened and gave way to a wide cavern, disjointed sunlight dripping through the cracked rock above them. She heard a player behind her let out a low whistle, and when she looked to where Gray was pointing, she understood why:

A stone door stood in front of them, glowing a verdant green. Tree roots wrapped around the aged boulders, forming a central lock in the shape of a hand. Erza was the only one brave enough to entwine her fingers with the skeletal hand, and Lucy's breath caught when the shamrock streams, almost like veins, began to pulsate like a heartbeat. The tree root-hand released Erza after several moments of tense silence, thankfully allowing her to push open the door.

On the other side, all was dark, which wasn't much of a surprise. Spooky darkness in dangerous areas seemed to be a common theme in DoDK; Lucy would be more surprised if she stepped into a brightly-lit dungeon. She took a small step further in after Gray, and was thankful when small twinkling lights rose from the ground to line the room. Even dimly-lit, the boss room was impressive — a great tree stood in the centre, twisted roots stretching up the stone walls and covering what little smattering of natural light there was. When she focused her eyes, she found that a throne had been carved into the tree.

Sitting upon it was a lifeless monster, its body comprised entirely of tree limbs and branches. It sported large biceps and muscled thighs, twiggy fingers as long as Lucy was tall. Erza drew her sword and muttered something under her breath, and as Lucy watched luminescent wings sprouted from her shoulder blades, large enough to wrap around the both of them. A burst of heat alerted her to the fact Natsu had lit his fist on fire again, and she looked at Gray to find his hands glowing a winter-blue. Frost crawled along his fists and up his arms, fog wrapping around the area around him. Lucy stepped away from the frigid air, drawing her blade and whip.

The monster's eyes suddenly glowed violet, and its name and health bars blinked to life by its head. _Lullaby_ , it read, and Lucy counted two health bars. A roar left its monstrous maw, rivalling that of the crimson dragon from the first day.

"Alright!" Natsu declared, bravely turning his back to address the crowd of shell-shocked players. "Fight hard! Never take your eyes off the enemy! Make sure your party stays safe! No one has to die today, so let's hurry up and take this lug of timber out so we can move on!"

He didn't wait for an answer, instead charging forward along with Erza. Gray stayed back to direct the other players, and Lucy helped him organise the tank players to form a shield wall that effectively trapped Lullaby in one corner of the expansive room. All magic users were brought to the front lines, while the weaker players stayed back as support for the shield wall. Flashes of colour erupted everywhere; sunset-orange, cool blues, red wildfires, emerald streams.

Lucy joined the first group of swordsmen charging for Lullaby's thick legs, swallowing her fear and praying it didn't show on her face. She couldn't hear past the rushing in her ears, purely adrenaline-fuelled. Trusting her instincts would be her best bet. She struck her whip once on the ground, uncoiling it with the motion. A second later she was clumsily attempting to wrap the leather around Lullaby's right leg. Luckily, one of the spare players from the shield wall noticed and he rushed forward, helping her tug on the leather once she had successfully coiled it around one trunk-leg. She groaned with the effort, and could barely hear the rallying cry of the player assisting her cause.

Bodies pressed against hers as players squeezed in, hands wrapping around the taut leather and tugging. It took an entire party to help her get Lullaby to one knee and once they had, swordsmen rushed forward, hacking at the thick coils of wood wrapped around the sturdy trunk-leg of the monster. Lullaby roared in pain, one clawed arm swinging towards them. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, expecting to be tossed to the other side of the room like a rag doll. Could she survive a hit like that?

A stifling heat exploded just by her face and Lucy opened her eyes again, finding Natsu there. His entire body had caught alight, and in his right hand, he gripped a blazing sword. "That was close," he wheezed, out of breath.

Lucy's mouth gaped before she finally managed to stutter her gratitude, tightening her hold on the whip in her hands. Natsu charged forward again, joining the swordsmen and their assault of Lullaby's leg. Lucy looked around at the battlefield, and promptly sputtered when she found Lullaby's arm, the very one that almost cleaved her head right from her shoulders, detached from the monster's body and shrivelled up at her feet.

Natsu had cut the limb right off.

She swallowed heavily, following him with her eyes as he lithely dodged Lullaby's attacks, almost dancing as he moved about the room. Lucy realised then that some people were just born for the thrill of battle, and decided that she certainly wasn't one of them. The whip dug into her skin, and she could see blood beginning to trickle from her clenched fists. Her legs burned where the muscles were tensed, supporting her weight as she leaned back into the chest of the player behind her. Her arms were sore from extorting all her strength into keeping Lullaby on one knee.

But she couldn't deny how her heart seemed to thrum eagerly. She felt light despite her aches and pains, almost as if she could sprout wings like Erza and soar. It was the most fun she'd had in years, so she supposed she could ignore the rush and roar of the battlefield.

Natsu managed to disconnect Lullaby's leg from his knee, and those who had hands wrapped around the whip tethered to it fell back. Lucy was glad she was the first in front, and managed to scuttle sideways before she could crush the unfortunate player behind her. She left her whip where it was, knowing she would have the opportunity to gather it later, and joined Natsu by his side as he scanned Lullaby for any weaknesses. Surprisingly, it was Lucy that pointed it out.

"There! By its left shoulder! Do you see where the vines sink inwards?"

"Luce, you're a genius!" he declared and surged forward, adjusting his grip on the blazing sword.

Erza joined him, having heard Lucy's shout, and she twirled a blade in her hands fluidly. The Titania's wings carried her upwards, beating the air around her and causing gusts that danced through Lucy's mussed hair. Gray kept Lullaby distracted on the ground so Natsu could climb up the monster's back, using protruding vines as hand and footholds. Players all about her rushed in, blades extended, shields up. She joined them not a moment later and drove her dagger into Lullaby's side. One entire health bar had been depleted already, leaving only another three-quarters of the remaining bar.

She could almost taste the victory, bittersweet and light on the tip of her tongue. Natsu had reached Lullaby's shoulders by then, and lithely he flipped around, one arm wrapped around a protruding root on Lullaby's neck his only form of support. He wasted no time. With a roar, he drove his blade into what Lucy assumed to be the monster's heart. Erza's blade followed next, and she stabbed right to the hilt of her katana. The roar Lullaby let loose was earth-shattering, near blood-curling. Point by point, the health bar drained until it hit zero and Lullaby shuddered. Ruby shards rained down on the players as Lullaby shattered to pieces, filling the room with crimson light.

Gracefully, Erza lowered herself to the ground, sheathing her katana. Natsu was less regal and flopped to the ground bonelessly with a long sigh. "Damn, that was intense," he said, breathless.

Lucy, despite her own injuries, rushed forward and tipped a health potion to his lips. The fall from atop Lullaby had taken a large chunk from his health bar, leaving him in the orange-level.

"That was a little careless," she chastised, but offered him a bright smile.

"That was exhilarating," he added.

A cheer erupted from the players behind her, and Lucy turned to see a large icon reading _Congratulations_ hovering in the air. A separate box blinked in front of Natsu and Erza, showing them the EXP they had won. Erza sacrificed her item drop to Natsu, whose sword had been broken during the final assault and as Gray promised, the jewel earned was portioned evenly to each player.

They all left a little weary, but relieved nonetheless. Thankfully, no player had lost their lives in the first boss battle, and the players that had remained in Oak Town welcomed them with cheers. Lucy left her party then, shying away from the festivities and decided to instead head back to her room in the inn. She equipped into a simple night gown and slippers, taking a pillow and a braided wool throw rug with her out to the balcony. After the exhilarating battle, she decided she needed something to calm her down. While joining the festivities below could aid in her endeavour, she suspected that the incessant cheering and yelling would only grate on her worn nerves.

Much like when she was a child growing up in London, she spread the blanket out on the balcony floor, reclining back into her pillow. The stars greeted her happily, blinking at her as she studied the constellations. There were two moons in Fiore, a large one so voluminous it almost filled the entire sky, and a smaller one, glowing magenta and no bigger than the moon back in the real world. Stars were also different; they seemed closer, almost like she could reach out and pluck them from the sky like grapes. Her arm stretched forwards of its own volition, fingers grasping at the cool night air.

Crickets began their nightsongs, like a call to prayer. She traced the constellations and let her soul quieten, urged the adrenaline to leave her veins. A party was currently taking place in the tavern, and she could hear the sloshing of honeywine and ale even from the balcony. Her breaths stilled as she strained her ears, picking up on the soft scuttling of foxes in the forest. She felt at peace, and it was almost ironic. After all, who could feel so at-home while trapped in a death game? Most players would not rest until the game was cleared, and she had seen several nearly lose their minds during that first month of imprisonment. Comparing her old life to this new one, she realised why.

Back in the real world, all she ever did was run from her dictating father and his grand plans for her adult life. The effort to evade him took her to all corners of the world: from London to Oslo, Istanbul to Athens, Sydney to New York and most recently, Marseille to Tokyo.

But here, there was no such thing. There were only her, the endless sky and a thousand different opportunities.

"Luce!"

She startled at the abrupt whisper, pulling herself to the edge of the balcony to glance down. There stood Natsu, with slightly flushed cheeks and a mug outstretched to her.

"I brought you some apple cider," he clarified, storing it briefly in his items so he could climb up the balustrade.

Lucy welcomed the intrusion with a soft smile, reaching out a hand to help him up. Gratefully, he took it and almost pulled her over with him as he began climbing.

"Whew!" he exclaimed, collapsing beside her on the blanket.

She accepted the mug of cider, still delightfully warm. Heat spread across her chest as she took a sip, cinnamon and nutmeg dancing on her tongue. The two of them stayed silent for a while, watching the heavens and basking in the night sounds. Lucy was the first to attempt light conversation.

"So… what brings you here?"

She felt him shrug, shoulders brushing hers with the motion. "I saw you up here. Figured you might want some company."

Lucy let that sink in, and wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or his actions that brought upon the sudden surge of warmth in her cheeks. "Thanks," she whispered, setting aside the cider to lay back down.

Gods, how this world had changed her outlook on life. Here she was, lying side-by-side with a stranger, a man no less! What would her father say if he ever caught her in such a position?

"You did well today," Natsu hummed, cushioning his head in his interlocked palms.

"I didn't really do much…" Lucy trailed off, remembering how easily the rest of her party jumped into action.

"For a newbie," Natsu amended, teasingly, and Lucy bumped her shoulder against his ribs.

"You did really well, too," she whispered, feeling the need to return the favour.

Natsu's joyful mood faltered slightly, "I'm just lucky I got to be part of the beta test."

"I don't really believe that," she wondered aloud, continuing her thought process from the battlefield. "I feel like you're the type that could walk into anything dangerous and come out on top. Some people are born for that sort of rush."

"It's not like I do much else, though. Gray reckons I've got ash for brains," he chuckled, and Lucy giggled along with him.

"Perhaps," she drawled, and it earnt her a light shove that almost sent her careening into the balustrade.

"But you're pretty smart," he said, nodding to himself, "even Erza didn't notice that weak spot on Lullaby until you pointed it out. And that thing with the whip, that was really helpful."

"Thank you."

The whisper floated between them for a moment, before suddenly Natsu rolled over towards her. He used his elbow to push himself up and Lucy was sure he would topple over onto her should his balance falter — she doubted it would.

"I've got something to ask you," he declared, and at her nod, he surged forth with his proposition. "You're really smart, but you don't like being in battle too much. I'm not the smartest person, but I'm great at fighting."

"Yes?" she urged, curious as to where this was going.

"How about we partner up?"

The request was simple enough, but it left Lucy speechless nonetheless. He wanted them to become partners? Natsu nudged her again, prompting an answer.

"Are you sure that's what you really want?"

He scoffed, eyes boring into her eyes. "If I didn't like you, then I wouldn't have asked. You're a nice person, Luce. Of course I'd want you as a partner."

"Well," she drawled playfully, "I guess I can't say no to that."

Natsu rolled on to his back and pumped a fist, a victory cry leaving his lips. "All right! We can head out tomorrow and start levelling you up. You need to learn how to protect yourself in case something happens and I'm not there."

"I'd like that," she grinned, settling back to watch the stars once again. When she looked over again, she found Natsu had fallen asleep, mouth wide open and head cushioned on corded muscle.

Quietly, she got up and covered him in a spare blanket, making sure to keep the balcony door open despite the chill it would invite in. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow, buried beneath a mountain of cushions and quilts.

Strangely, she dreamt of collapsing castles and mighty dragons birthed from roaring wildfires.

* * *

 _ **Introducing THE DANCE OF THE DRAGON KING,**_ **a project** ** _2 YEARS_ in the making!**

I won't even go into the amount of drafting, scrapping, and reworking this fic has gone through. So for returning readers, hello! I am not dead, rather I am very busy!

I'd like to give a HUGE thank you to **noseinabook145** for all her hard work as my beta for this! We've juuust about finished her fic _Spread Your Wings_ so if you're after a fresh and first-class take on the _Lucy leaves FT_ cliche then look no further! Not only is this a true-to-canon take on the popular storyline, but prepare yourself to fall in love with three wonderful OC's! Plus, Nalu tension, need I say more? However for those venturing forth, be warned - a dark twist abounds...

The update schedule for this will be fortnightly/monthly (we'll see how long I last). I am not budging from this - given that the chapters are over 10K words _each_ I think you can cut me some slack. Don't be afraid to send in those reviews!

* * *

 **edit 27/08/2018:** I've decided to include a preview of _Chapter 2_ in celebration of how positive and eager your responses were! **  
**

.

.

.

Lucy swallowed another tired yawn, shooting her new partner a nasty look.

When the man promised they would 'train', he really meant that Lucy would be rudely awakened at half-four in the morning, dragged over her balcony and pulled into the woods. Currently she was trudging noisily behind Natsu as he attempted to hunt for breakfast — unnecessarily if you asked her, she did after all have the foresight to pack enough meals for the two of them after seeing off Erza and Gray.

"Natsu, this is ridiculous," she huffed. "I brought food for both of us."

He hushed her, not even bothering to turn around. "That's not the point," he whispered.

"Then, what is?"

Lucy wasn't afforded a reply, as the man suddenly lunged for her. They fell in a tangle of limbs, fall cushioned by dried leaves and moss. Her quick protest was swallowed by Natsu's rough palm, eyes daring her to utter even a peep.

The silence was dense, and Lucy quelled the desire to squirm away. Surely there was a highly logical reason for his sudden attack. If they were to make their partnership work, she would have to learn how to trust him — even if that meant being tackled into woodland waste.

"That was close," he breathed.

Lucy watched him expectantly, and Natsu moved off from atop her, extending a hand to help her up.

"What is wrong with you?"

The man was different from this morning, and even from when she first met him. His eyes had lost the mischievous glint so characteristically Natsu, hardened instead. The way he carried himself had changed; the careless gait widened, knees bent, each step slight, ghosting across the forest floor. There was something predatory about him now — something that Lucy couldn't help but to fear.

His answer was almost guttural.

"I'm teaching you to fear the predator."

"What?" she stammered, frozen.

Natsu's eyes were those of a wolf. "There are things bigger than you and me here, things that are programmed to maim. They won't hesitate like a human."

Twigs breaking, a low hum.

"Fear is what kills, not inexperience or being an idiot."

A tremble, a roar like thunder.

"Learn how to turn your fear into power. Let your feelings become your greatest strength. That is the only way you'll survive in a generated world; by being human."

They broke through the foliage and straight into the clutch of a monster.

.

.

.


	2. Through the Woods of the Dread-Walkers

_._

 _._

 _._

 _Dance of the Dragon King_

 _._

 _._

 _._

* * *

 _two_

* * *

 **AUGUST 17** **TH** **, 2022**

Lucy awoke to a stifling heat draped over her, and she could feel sweat building up on her brow. With a groan, she attempted to roll over and found her legs pinned under unmistakably male hips. A muscled chest pressed into hers, strong arms snared once around her waist and once around her hips. She attempted a wriggle, purposefully driving her knee into the stomach of her newly-found partner.

Natsu didn't move except to squirm a little, and Lucy sneezed when pink locks tickled her nose. Her arms were easy enough to release and she shoved at his shoulders helplessly, cursing his weight and her inability to push him off.

Lucy gave up after two minutes of unrewarded effort, stiffly lying beneath her newly-made partner. She knew Honeybelle would arrive soon with a breakfast platter, given the time, and conceded herself to wait for the scent of food to hopefully stir Natsu into wakefulness.

She decided to spend the minutes until then by properly examining Natsu, eyes curiously raking over his features and committing them to memory.

The man was scarred; a small line at his left brow, another by his top lip, most likely gained from a split lip courtesy of Gray. There was a particularly nasty one on his neck, the skin slightly raised and starkly pale against the rest of his sun-kissed flesh. The urge to trace it arose, but Lucy shook off the desire, focusing instead on his hair. Sadly, she could not find any regrowth at the root which could suggest his natural colour, but she decided that he seemed like the type to have rich, bronzed-blonde hair, not quite brunette but too dark for traditional blonde like hers. Perhaps there would even be hints of red and wheat, highlights naturally brought out by the sun. He seemed like the type of person to prefer to spend their time outside, a willing tribute to the elements. Lucy could picture it even now:

Scraped knees and red cheeks, a bright smile; slightly slanted, carelessly so. Summer and spring spent swimming in lakes and sprinting down hills, catching fireflies in jars come nightfall and releasing them soon thereafter. Autumn would be the season of hiking and early-morning fishing, foraging dinner from the land. Even winter would be a fun affair — collecting buckets of rainwater and building snowmen come snow. Skiing, sledding, snowball fights, running amok knowing pillows of frost would always be there to cushion the inevitable fall. Pretending to be a fire-breathing dragon with each crystallised breath, and later telling the story that fuelled his youth to the neighbourhood children. _Once upon a time, there lived an awesome, mighty dragon — the king of all dragons!_

Like clockwork, Honeybelle fluttered in from the door keyhole, a new occurrence. From beneath the door followed the tray, sliding through the crack and precariously floating towards Lucy. The pixie seemed to watch her with curiosity, and Lucy's cheeks puffed with a sigh.

"It's not my fault," she muttered, and she could have sworn that Honeybelle giggled.

The pixie fluttered about Lucy's face and Natsu snorted when pixie dust somehow ended up his nose. "Gross," she whined, limbs flapping about. That seemed to do the trick, for Natsu shot up out of bed with a groan. Lucy laughed as he collapsed in a boneless heap on the floor, and couldn't help childishly poking her tongue out at him.

"What as that for?" he grumbled in a hoarse voice.

"That was for sneaking in my bed like some perverted creep."

"It got cold outside."

"And why should I care?"

"Because, if I get frostbite, I'll be the biggest pain in your ass there ever was."

Honeybelle interrupted their small tiff with a teasing waggle of her tiny hips, wings tinkling with the movement. If she could speak, Lucy would like to think that the pixie would be teasing them relentlessly, sly glances never going astray.

"Hey," Natsu suddenly said, "they changed the house pixie here."

Lucy's brows furrowed, turning around to flash him a confused look. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah," he nodded, stretching under the sun's early-morning warmth. "In the beta, the pixie was pink and yellow and had a weird name. Something like Mavey, I think."

"Strange," Lucy wondered aloud, "I wonder why Zeref changed the pixies like that? Surely it couldn't have been that much of an issue compared to the other features he's yet to tweak?"

Unbeknownst to Lucy, a hush had settled over the room at the utterance of the game designer's name, and she looked up curiously to find Natsu staring intently at Honeybelle. The pixie's glow had dulled considerably, and when Lucy peeked closer, she could see the small creature's shoulders shaking violently.

"Oh, Honeybelle," she whispered, reaching out one careful hand to cradle the pixie. As soon as the tips of her fingers brushed across the pixie's back, the creature suddenly surged backwards. The breakfast tray was forgotten as Honeybelle escaped under the door in a blur of gold, and the trail left behind seemed to pulsate anxiously as it slowly faded.

The two partners were still in the wake of the strange event, neither daring to make a move for fear of shattering whatever tension had settled in the small room, previously so full of wonder and lazy grins.

It was Natsu who spoke first. "That wasn't normal," he declared, and Lucy saw that his gaze was worried as he glared at the closed door. "That bastard's done something. I can feel it."

Lucy opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it, knowing that no words she said could change the situation or offer any explanation. She was still so new to this world; there was still much to see and learn. She couldn't possibly solve this mystery without experiencing more of the DoDK world.

And so, though it left her heavy-hearted to do so, she dropped the subject but swore to never forget what happened here. Lucy would find out exactly what Zeref had done to the pixies, and she would do her best to help the creatures. Perhaps she could even find a way to take back what had transpired. After all, in a world so full of magic, surely the impossible wasn't so unattainable?

The rest of the day was spent touring Oak Town with her team. Luckily for them, the weather was pleasant, and soon enough they were laughing and conversing naturally as if they had been a team for years. Natsu, Gray and Erza sure had, going by their close connections and mentions of a childhood spent in each other's company. For Lucy though, things were slightly different. She had only known the trio for a handful of days, and already she had fought beside them in battle, dined with them and even shared a bed with one of them. For a girl who had spent most of her life caged in an empty mansion and then on the run from a vengeful father, she believed she was doing quite well for herself.

If only the circumstances were different, and she wasn't trapped in a death game. Perhaps then her new friendships would feel a little more wholesome, and less translucent. Temporary, almost. She refused the notion that they might not all survive their ordeal. She focused instead on their life after. What were the chances of waking up in the same exact apartment complex as her friends, in the same part of Tokyo or even in the same region of Japan?

They were slim.

A hand flapping in her face dragged Lucy's attention back to the moment, and she flashed an apologetic smile at her new friends, who appeared worried in varying degrees.

"Lucy? Is everything okay?" Erza fretted, and Lucy waved off the woman's concern.

"Yes, sorry. I daydream a lot, is all. Where are we going next?"

Erza looked slightly sheepish then, but the change in her schooled features was so minimal that Lucy knew she wouldn't have noticed had she not spent a considerable amount of the last few days with the woman.

"Well, actually, Gray and I were about to take our leave."

Lucy frowned, not understanding. "Oh, okay. Perhaps I will see you tomorrow?"

"No, Luce," Natsu laughed, bumping her shoulder playfully, "they're leaving town."

"Oh! I understand. May I ask why?"

Gray spoke up next, expression wistful. "We have to head to Magnolia and get the guild started up again. We promised our friends that we would bring it back."

"The guild?"

"Fairy Tail," the man explained as if those two words could provide all the answers needed. When he saw that Lucy's expression had grown more confused, though, he elaborated. "Fairy Tail is the resident guild in Magnolia. There are guilds all over Fiore; there's even one here."

"Phantom Lord," she recalled aloud, and Natsu shot her a proud look.

"Exactly. Right now, Fairy Tail is being led by an NPC character. Erza and I are going to Magnolia now so that we can challenge the leadership and then Erza can establish herself as Guild Master."

"This guild must be important to you all," she pondered, and Erza's smile turned soft.

"It is," the woman said, "during the beta, we were a force to be reckoned with. Our guild is only one of few that truly care for each other. Most others treat guilds as a temporary place; where they can share in the spoils of war and leave once they've gained all they can."

"But our guild is different," Natsu amended, "we're a family. Once you join Fairy Tail, you're stuck with us."

The information excited Lucy; just being in a team with the three beta testers had been the best thing to happen to her in a while. But for an entire guild to be just as pleasant? Lucy was looking forward to seeing Fairy Tail for herself — if they would have her, of course. After all, she was still relatively new to the entire concept of gaming, and her only experience was found in years of reading fiction. Relying on such methods of coping while trapped in a game where just strolling through the woods could quickly turn lethal was fruitless.

Her worries were unfounded though, for Erza brightened suddenly and placed a gentle hand upon Lucy's shoulder. "You are always welcome in our hall, Lucy. You certainly have proved yourself in the time we've partied together. Your knowledge and comforting presence would not go astray."

"I'll have to take you up on that offer. Thank you," she beamed and was almost drowned out by Natsu's celebratory cheer.

"That settles it!" he declared. "While Ice Queen and Erza get the guild going, Lucy and I will stay here so she can train up a bit."

Erza nodded thoughtfully. "That would be most wise. I have decided to set the application level at thirty. Hopefully, that will dissuade any who would rather join the guild for the levelling benefits."

"Don't you think that's a bit… I don't know, harsh?" Gray drawled.

"Not in the slightest. From what I've managed to gather, other guild leaders from the beta are deciding upon the same means. There are plenty of other guilds for players solely wishing to grind. Our mission is the frontline; I've no time to pander the players not willing to commit to our cause."

"You guys should probably think about going before someone else jumps in and takes leadership," Natsu interrupted, waving in the direction of the train station.

Farewells were then said, well wishes on Lucy's part and vague threats from Natsu; _you better make me second-in-command or I'll set fire to the bar, get out of my face you stripper — no-one wants to see your junk, put some pants on_.

Their team was disbanded, but Lucy's screen quickly gained Natsu's name when his party invite was approved. He shot her an infectious, slanted grin, but Lucy's smile quickly dropped when his eyes blazed with mischief.

"Off to bed with you," he mocked like a disapproving parent, "we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

For some reason, Lucy was beginning to dread what training with Natsu would entail.

* * *

Lucy swallowed another tired yawn, shooting her new partner a nasty look.

When the man promised they would 'train', he really meant that Lucy would be rudely awakened at half-four in the morning, dragged over her balcony and pulled into the woods. Currently, she was trudging noisily behind Natsu as he attempted to hunt for breakfast — unnecessarily if you asked her, she did after all have the foresight to pack enough meals for the two of them after seeing off Erza and Gray.

"Natsu, this is ridiculous," she huffed. "I brought food for both of us."

He hushed her, not even bothering to turn around. "That's not the point," he whispered.

"Then, what is?"

Lucy wasn't afforded a reply, as the man suddenly lunged for her. They fell in a tangle of limbs, fall cushioned by dried leaves and moss. Her quick protest was swallowed by Natsu's rough palm, eyes daring her to utter even a peep.

The silence was dense, and Lucy quelled the desire to squirm away. Surely there was a highly logical reason for his sudden attack. If they were to make their partnership work, she would have to learn how to trust him — even if that meant being tackled into woodland waste.

"That was close," he breathed.

Lucy watched him expectantly, and Natsu moved off from atop her, extending a hand to help her up.

"What is wrong with you?"

The man was different from this morning, and even from when she first met him. His eyes had lost the mischievous glint so characteristically Natsu, hardened instead. The way he carried himself had changed; the careless gait widened, knees bent, each step slight, ghosting across the forest floor. There was something predatory about him now — something that Lucy couldn't help but fear.

His answer was almost guttural.

"I'm teaching you to fear the predator."

"What?" she stammered, frozen.

Natsu's eyes were those of a wolf. "There are things bigger than you and me here, things that are programmed to maim. They won't hesitate like a human."

Twigs breaking, a low hum.

"Fear is what kills, not inexperience or being an idiot."

A tremble, a roar like thunder.

"Learn how to turn your fear into power. Let your feelings become your greatest strength. That is the only way you'll survive in a generated world; by being human."

They broke through the foliage and straight into the clutch of a monster.

* * *

"NATSU! This was a stupid idea!"

"It's training," the man corrected, fluidly dodging a boulder three times the size of him.

Lucy scrambled from the Vulcan's line of sight, looping around its shorter legs to study its back. While brute strength may be Natsu's area of expertise, it certainly wasn't hers.

"Natsu, keep it busy for a bit!" she called, and was surprised when he didn't question her — merely flashed her a thumbs up and resumed the fight.

There was a small pond to her left, but Lucy was sceptical of summoning Aquarius from it. The siren may just drown her for even entertaining the thought of using such filthy water to tether her to Earthland.

However, there was a cave. And Lucy was sure that she would find something in there that could distract the Vulcan enough for Natsu to land one final, lethal hit. Lucy scrambled into the cave, just big enough for a Vulcan to squeeze through. The sounds from outside came to a hush, replaced by gentle tinkling, like windchimes caught in a breeze.

Or, perhaps a key.

Lucy hurried quickly through the cave, hand clapped over her nose and mouth to keep the horrid stench of the beast from her airways. The Vulcan, it seemed, had a fascination with anything that glittered. From the piles of items, she found a few precious gems, hair pins and silver coins — worthless now, but evidently priceless to overgrown apes.

The tinkling sound had grown louder, and Lucy rushed forth with renewed vigour. She found the key wedged between a copper statue of a busty woman and a worn music box, and she quickly grabbed it before sprinting from the cave. While doing so she swiped her finger by the key to appraise it and learned she had found Taurus, the Golden Bull.

She hoped that her new key would be a combat-type, unlike her only other key which seemed more like the homicidal support-type. Natsu met her eye briefly as she stumbled from the dark cave into bright sunlight, blinking away spots from her vision. She made sure to keep quiet, hoping that the advantage of surprise was still on her side. Slowly, she crept around the beast's legs, dodging fireballs and boulders alike as she went.

How different things had become, she allowed herself to ponder. A month ago she could be found hunting boar, not taking down a Boss and dealing with a Vulcan — both only days apart.

She spied a mound of disturbed earth, perhaps from where her partner may have slipped or been pushed backwards by the beast. She dug the rust-spotted key into the soil, twisting it deep. An eager hum seemed to dance up her arm, unlike when she had first summoned Aquarius.

With a deep breath, she began the first part of her short incantation: " _I am the person who connects the road to the stellar spirit world_ …"

Natsu cast her a sidelong glance, obviously not believing that thrusting a key into a bit of dirt and mumbling some mumbo-jumbo could possibly help them in the slightest. "Luce?"

She chose to ignore her partner, shutting her eyes tight as golden sparks flew from the buried key. " _Thou shalt respond to the calling and pass through the gate_ …"

A drumming began, slow like a resting heartbeat.

" _Open, Gate of the Golden Bull_ …"

The Vulcan had turned its attention to her now, attracted by the bright radiance encompassing the battleground. It growled something low, shuffling irritated steps towards her.

" _Taurus_!"

The familiar sound of a key unlocking an old, creaking door sounded, before light exploded directly in Lucy's face. She shielded her eyes with both arms, key gripped in one fist.

"What the hell is that?!" Natsu yelled, at a better vantage point than she and able to clearly see her new spirit.

She resisted the urge to quip something back, forcing herself to step through the light so she could become briefly acquainted with Taurus. Unsurprisingly, she was met by a bull — Lucy liked to think that she at least knew some things about the Zodiac, including what each sign depicted. She was not, however, prepared to be greeted by a rather humanoid steer.

Standing at well over eight feet tall was Taurus, and she was glad to see that he was most certainly a heavy assault-type. Unlike the Vulcan, her spirit seemed to be more evenly proportioned; for balance, she assumed, as he would certainly need plenty to wield the hulking axe held tight in his two-handed grip. His eyes were harsh, as if already sensing the danger, and something passed between summoner and spirit then. An agreement of sorts, a promise that introductions could be had later. There were larger things at play here.

With one curious comment about her outfit, he took thundering steps towards her partner and the beast, grip on his axe tightening and loosening sporadically.

"Taurus can take over for you, Natsu!" she called to her partner, abandoning the pretence of staying hidden. Surely the battle was almost finished with the addition of Taurus?

"I'll just hang back, in case something goes wrong," he said instead, not bothering to even cast a glance at her. He was eyeing the spirit strangely, that same wolf-like gaze returning.

Lucy brushed off his behaviour, already used to his mood swings, and instead observed the fight between spirit and beast. The blood was repulsive; each strike drew more, and soon the battleground was slick with rusty blood, the scent of coppery iron strong on the air.

The fighting style of her spirit was as she suspected, though she had been hoping that he would act as a brawler, too. As it was, Taurus preferred to dodge and block attacks with his axe rather than attempt to parry them. He also restrained from simply swinging his axe blindly — instead, each swing was calculated and built up towards by drawing the weapon across his body, until the blade rested just over the right-side of his back. Power attacks came from above, by drawing the blade over his right shoulder and using the muscles in his triceps to expel the blade downwards, explosively.

Lucy was impressed and rather excited to set up their contract. The Vulcan was downed in two more, savage strikes from Taurus. With ruby shards that glittered in the midday sun, the beast shattered.

"Good work, Taurus!" she gushed, applauding her spirit.

The bull grinned at her, gaze playful. "Anything for that hot body!"

Lucy felt a brow raise — of course, she had forgotten that most things in Japanese game and entertainment culture was overtly sexualised. She wasn't planning to put up with it, though.

Summoner and spirit quickly set up a contract, and Natsu had gone to raid the Vulcan's lair. In his words, they would make a killing off the treasure stashed there. She met up with him in the cave once Taurus had gone on his way, grateful to see he had lit the sconces and had started to carelessly peruse the piles of items.

"What we want to keep are all the jewel and gems, and anything that has a high price," he began to explain, urging Lucy to step through some of the scattered treasures before leading her to where he had begun sorting piles. "Put everything we don't want against the far wall," to demonstrate, he picked up a rust-spotted lamp and threw it towards the steadily growing pile of rejects.

"Got it," she hummed, and decided to peruse the piles directly opposite him. They would cover more ground that way.

It was quiet for some time, metallic shuffling and the jingling of jewel the only sounds between them. Natsu broke it first, questioning her. "So what was that back there, with the bull?"

His voice was blank, movements lazy, but she saw the furrow of his brow and the shadow cast over his eyes. Again she felt like he knew something she didn't, and though it frustrated her, she let it be. Unless the habit of carefully keeping the other misinformed came to be a threat to both their lives, she was content to leave things be. Partners didn't necessarily need to know every detail about each other, after all.

"I thought magic was common here? Why are you so surprised?"

She saw him roll his eyes. "Stop avoiding my question."

"I'm not," she defended, "I just don't understand why you're so curious. I'm sure you could find something in the manual."

"I'm curious because it's rare for lower-levelled players to be able to use magic this early."

Curiosity piqued, she dropped the hostility. "I thought everyone could do it?"

"They can, but not as early as you. It took me three months real-time to learn how to use Dragon Slaying magic."

"Strange," she murmured. Briefly, she entertained the thought of telling him she had been using magic since the first week, but decided against it.

"I hope that bastard isn't planning something."

Lucy knew Natsu hadn't intended for her to overhear that last part of his sentence, but the cave's acoustics were working against him.

Her partner walked off to the other side of the cave, deeming their short conversation over. Lucy didn't mind; there would be time for talking later. It had been almost three hours since they had defeated the Vulcan, and the sun was slowly starting to crest the sky. She wasn't keen to see just what came out when the sun went down, nor was she prepared. The battle against dusk had finally begun.

* * *

When they finally made it back to town, the two partners were horrified to learn that an entire party had been killed.

The news shook the town, which had previously been so full of energy and positivity after the success on the first floor. Now the mood had dampened, the harsh facts of what was their reality rushing back with a vengeance.

"What do you mean, they were just killed? How many of them were there?" Lucy questioned frantically, annoyed that no one was answering her.

Natsu reached out and snagged her arm, gently pulling her close so they wouldn't be separated. It seemed that all the players still in Oak Town had migrated to the town square, which made getting around difficult due to the heavy crowds.

"I heard there was seven of them," she overheard someone shout, which was quickly followed by a denial. Now there were apparently ten dead players, and the number steadily kept rising the more that was shouted.

"This is ridiculous," Lucy huffed, and Natsu agreed with a nod.

"Well, why don't we ask her!"

The crowd came to a hush, all eyes turning to the sword-type player and the girl squeezed in his grip. She wore a mighty scowl, though it was obvious her limbs were trembling. Lucy frowned at the sight; perhaps she was a witness?

"You're all being completely stupid," she shouted to the crowd, an angry blush dusting her cheeks.

"Are we really? After all, it's your fault that those players died," the boy hissed, and was accompanied by a few hearty cheers.

Lucy was disgusted by now. Had they already began turning on each other? How pitiful.

"It wasn't my fault!" the girl yelled, ripping her arm from the boy. "There was nothing I could do!"

"You were a beta tester, as well as a healer! Surely there was something you could have done!"

Natsu had begun to push his way through the crowd, determined to not let a bunch of idiots pick on a girl who was clearly struggling. Lucy followed in his wake, dodging elbows and smiling gratefully when Natsu took her wrist in his, helping her through the heavy crowd.

All the while, the argument continued.

"There were only seven of us! How was I supposed to heal the wounded, as well as fight, at the same time?"

"You shouldn't have taken them there in the first place if you knew they couldn't handle it!"

"How would I have known? I wasn't a party member, I couldn't see their levels!"

"That's a stupid excuse, and you know it."

"You're being such a—"

"All right!" Natsu shouted, having finally reached the two younger players. "That's enough!"

Lucy went straight for the younger girl, pulling her against her side and shooting the younger boy a scathing glare.

"What are you doing? She's a killer!"

"How could you say that?" Lucy rebutted, ashamed by his careless words.

"It's true!"

"And who are you to make such decisions? You know nothing of what happened, only skewed rumours."

"I don't need to know what really happened! She's a mage, a beta tester and she came back alive. That's reason enough!"

Natsu spoke before Lucy could, "I bet not even one of you has asked for the full story from her."

Some of the watching players had the decency to avert their gazes, and Natsu nodded, as if pleased.

Lucy rubbed the girl's arm comfortingly, smiling at the pink-haired girl. "Would you mind telling us, Miss…"

"Sheria," she supplied, and nodded enthusiastically, "and I wouldn't mind."

Natsu beckoned Sherria towards him, and the girl stood beside him as she began to recount what had happened. Per her version of events, the party she had been grinding with had hidden their levels from her, ashamed that she wouldn't hunt with them if she knew how low-levelled they were. It had been Sherria's idea to head further into the forest than they usually would, and it was there that high-levelled goblins ambushed them.

Even with magic on their side, they had still been outnumbered, drastically so. There was nothing she could do, and was forced to flee once she was the last one left standing.

"I ran out of magic," she declared in an ashamed whisper, "I drained myself by healing them every time they got a scratch. If I had saved up my energy, maybe I could have attempted a Roar attack. They might still be here…"

It was Lucy who stepped forward and rubbed the girl's back comfortingly, reassuring her that she tried all she could and she couldn't put the blame on herself.

"You've all heard what happened, now piss off," Natsu yelled at the gathered crowd, and it took a few threats before the area was fully cleared.

"Thank you for the help," Sherria whispered with a forced smile. It was obvious she was still shaken up, and Lucy purposefully pulled Natsu closer towards them so that some of his body heat could warm Sherria.

"It wasn't an issue," Lucy said with a smile. "I'm just glad that you're okay. Dealing with childish idiots should be the last thing on your mind right now."

"Have you got somewhere to stay?" Natsu asked, arms lazily clasped behind his head.

Sherria nodded her affirmation and Lucy was surprised to find out that they were across the hall from each other. She sent Natsu to sell both their shares of the Vulcan's spoils so she could walk Sherria back and get her settled, and for once he didn't try to argue.

It was a quiet walk back to the inn, but Lucy kept a firm arm wrapped around Sherria's small shoulders, offering comfort through actions. She could only assume it was working; the shivering had not quite settled, but Sherria's guilty tears had stopped entirely. Replaced instead with a blazing strength, an affirmation Lucy was not privy to. She asked the girl such when they stood outside both their doors.

"You've come to a realisation, haven't you?" Lucy asked softly.

"Yeah," Sherria nodded. "It's time I go home."

Lucy felt her heart stop, pulse quickening at the ramifications of Sherria's words. In the back of her mind, she had always feared that the mentality of players would spiral — that the ensnaring arms of depression would drag some to self-slaughter. To hear such words from Sherria left Lucy feeling mortally wounded; almost sick, physically incapable of accepting it.

"You can't!" she said quickly, voice rising with her alarm. "Sherria, there are other ways to deal with this, I can promise you that!"

The girl's brow furrowed, confusion evident in her girlish features before realisation struck. "Oh! No, I don't mean _that!_ "

Relief coursed through Lucy's buzzing veins, evening her breathing and lightening her heart. "I'm so glad…"

"I meant to say that I should go back to my guild from the beta," Sherria amended, taking Lucy's hand between both of hers. "I'm so sorry to startle you like that, I really need to think about what I say before I say it."

"You definitely should," Lucy chuckled with intoxicating relief. "Where is your guild?"

Sherria's entire manner seemed to brighten, a childish charm that belied none of her inner turmoil. Lucy could almost believe that the slaughter had never occurred.

"It's in Magaret Town. Lamia Scale," she tacked on. "My cousin is there right now with our friends challenging the leadership."

"That's exciting! Natsu and I are actually on our way to Magnolia — would you like to travel together?"

Sherria considered it for a moment, before an apologetic smile pulled at her lips. "After everything you two have already done, I couldn't bring myself to ask any more from you. I'll be fine!" she added, noticing Lucy's prepared rebuttal. "Really, Lucy. We'll see each other again, I just know it!"

Lucy found herself smiling along with the girl, their shared embrace warm and tight. "Then I will look forward to that day."

When she finally made it back into her room, she wasn't surprised to find Natsu already there, reclining on her bed like he had paid the rent and service fees. Lucy had no qualms shooing him off, banishing him instead to the wingback armchair in the corner.

"So Sherria is leaving, huh?" he queried, thumbing through the lonely guide book out of boredom rather than curiosity. He gave up soon enough, using the pages instead to fold paper aeroplanes.

Lucy had to swat one away from her face before answering. "She sure is. I don't blame her at all, really. She needs to be with her family right now." A realisation came over her then, and she rolled over onto her stomach to watch him intently. "How in the world did you know that?"

He didn't afford her an answer, merely pointing to his ears with a vacant gesture.

"Excuse me?" Lucy pressed, close to leaving the confines of her warm bed to stalk over to him.

"Perks of being a Dragon Slayer. Enhanced senses and strength and all that."

"Huh," Lucy hummed. "That's convenient."

Natsu snorted. "Tell me about it."

"So," Lucy ventured, after some moments of silence. "Will we be going to Magnolia soon?"

She was expecting a firm _no_ , but his nod had her sitting back down on the bed excitedly, bouncing a little. "Really?"

"Yup. We can get in some training on the way."

"On the way? I thought we were taking the train."

Natsu shuddered, and Lucy raised one curious brow. "No way in hell am I getting on that thing. I highly doubt Zeref fixed the engine for instant travel since the beta."

"So how else can we get to Magnolia?"

"On foot, of course," Natsu looked at her like she had two heads, and Lucy stared back like he had three.

"Isn't it dangerous? Would we not be safer taking a carriage, or anything similar?"

Now her partner paled, arms coming around his torso to clench his stomach. "No way! Gods, I can feel the rocking now."

It didn't take long for Lucy to connect the dots. "Don't tell me you have motion sickness." Just her luck, really.

"Shut up, you're making me sick!" he moaned. Lucy was quick to back up when he leaned forward on his chair.

"Whatever," Lucy conceded. "Did you buy some travelling necessities while you were at the markets?"

That seemed to perk him up. "You betcha. I got jerky, some bed rolls, grain and oats, health and stamina potions. There's a couple of others, too."

"As long as we have enough to get through the trip." Lucy rose with a yawn and made her way to the ensuite, where she began the process of getting ready for bed.

She agreed that Natsu could share the room, as long as he slept on the couch. Lucy sacrificed a pillow and made sure to keep the balcony closed, though she did not draw the curtains. She enjoyed the moonlight creeping in, the sounds of the night sneaking through the open window above her bed. She fell asleep to Natsu's heavy breathing, the scent of woodfire and stardust lulling her to dreamscape.

* * *

They left at the crack of dawn. Lucy equipped her light travelling armour, and threw a dense cloak over her ensemble. She wrapped it tight around her shoulders, shivering violently in the neck of the woods. Natsu was taking his sweet time organising their route, she noted sullenly. Could he not have done it before they left the warmth of the inn?

Lucy supposed it wasn't all that bad though. The forestry here was purely magical. The trees seemed ancient, woodland creatures resting within knots in the bark. Pixies were wild too, delicate little things radiating warm auburns and fiery clementine. One settled into the crook of her neck, away from the chilly wind.

"Let's head off," Natsu finally announced, exiting out of his player menu. "Should only take us a day or two, depending on how often we stop."

Lucy at first struggled to keep up with the Slayer, but by midmorning and after a quick meal break she was walking in stride with him. The woodland seemed to gradually morph into a dense mountain range to their right, chalky rocks rising like bone from the uneven landscape. They stuck to the forest path, following the pine as they stretched into the clear sky. Lucy had to take off her cloak once the sun reached its highest point, the heat in the damp woods almost humid.

Natsu tracked a small spring, and Lucy gratefully unequipped her boots and paddled in a little way. The water tasted crisp on her tongue, and she had to force herself to slow down lest she get cramps. Natsu didn't seem to care about cramps at all, for he was scooping water with both hands as fast as he could. She had to move away from him, not wanting to get completely soaked.

"Good a time as any to get in some training," he declared once nourished, and to her horror, he exquipped down to his smalls.

"What are you doing?" Lucy shrieked, avoiding eye contact.

"Your turn," was all he said, and he stared at her unnervingly until she begrudgingly equipped into her smalls — bike shorts and a constricting sports bra.

"What now?" she whined, standing in the middle of the spring with her arms crossed over her chest.

"We do this!" he declared, and his blurring figure was all the warning Lucy got before she was tackled to the mud.

"Hey!" she shrieked, slamming his back with her clenched fists. Lucy managed to squirm away to the bank, where she found refuge behind a boulder. "Just what are you thinking?"

Natsu stalked closer, that predatory glint in his eyes back again. "You can't always rely on your spells or your swords. You need to be prepared for anything."

He lunged for her foot and dragged her through the mud, using his knees to trap her hands at her sides. "I'm being easy on you, but the cutthroat after your armour won't be," he held her throat in a loose hold, accentuating his point.

Something primal came over Lucy then. She couldn't explain it, wouldn't know if it was the game's engine programming her reactions or something naturally primitive. Using her knees, Lucy dug them into Natsu's bare and mud-splattered chest. She aimed for his ribs, knowing somehow that it would buy her a few seconds. Using that gained advantage, she scrambled to her feet and angled her body much the same as Natsu had yesterday — knees bent slightly, legs spread at shoulder-width apart. She didn't quite know what to do with her hands, settling on leaving them open and free to claw or punch if need be.

"You got me there," he admitted, rising to his full height slowly. He wiped at the mud obscuring his vision, distracting her with the motion.

She was tackled to the mud again, though this time Lucy managed to evade his hold before he could find purchase on her slippery skin. She didn't bounce back to her feet, instead flinging herself onto his back. They struggled for a moment, Lucy with her legs clamped around his waist and arms holding him in a clumsy chokehold, Natsu attempting to buck her off. He settled with flattening her in the mud, and she was forced to let him go lest she be crushed by his bulk.

"Two-one, my way," he panted, flexing his shoulders while she gained her breath again.

It didn't take her any time at all to lash out with her foot and trip him up, a tingly pressure building up in her wrist. It felt much like the first time she killed a boar, and she let the game's engine guide her. Her fist seemed to pulse a pale blue light, almost silver. She drove it into Natsu's side with no provocation, just knowing somehow that it was _right_.

" _Shit_ ," Natsu hissed, doing a good job at ignoring the pain. Lucy almost wondered if he'd even felt her strike. "I didn't think you'd figure it out that quick."

"Figure what out?" she pressed, keeping a safe distance between them. She wasn't letting her guard down for a second.

"Power attack," he huffed. "Kind of like the bonuses you get with weapons."

Lucy was glad that her intuition had been right. "Two all now," she teased.

The snarl behind his grinning lips sent shivers across her skin. He stalked closer, teasing her with feigned lunges. She backed up a full step with each feign until she had reached the tree line. Tumbling now would hurt, she realised, and made to sprint around him. His arms snaked around her waist easily, their muddied skin slick where they touched. The more she struggled the tighter his hold became, until she swore she could feel her ribs creaking. Lucy managed to free one foot, and she hooked it around Natsu's ankle as he stepped back towards the mud.

There was a moment of free fall. Lucy felt her stomach drop as the mud rushed up to meet her. From her peripheral, she saw Natsu roll over towards her, entirely covered in mud now. He snagged her closer so that she toppled across his stomach, his torso twisting to trap her. His fangs peeked from his top lip, blinding against his mud-caked face.

Lucy knew then for sure that her stint of good luck had completely run out.

* * *

It took two long hours to wash the last of the mud from her hair. Lucy shivered and cursed in the spring that had started it all, glaring at Natsu as he soaked in his own self-made onsen.

"Champion's prize," he grinned, feeding the greedy spring with more of his fire magic. Lucy wondered how he didn't shrivel up with the heat.

"You'll get heatstroke," she cautioned, playfully flicking him with icy water as she passed.

"No way," he sighed, the steam bringing a flush to his cheeks. "Fire Dragon Slayer, duh."

"Which also means that you're not immortal," she chastised, dipping a toe into the roiling water by his shoulder. "Natsu, that's boiling!"

The bubbles died off slightly, steam still thick over the spring. Natsu snagged her ankle and pulled her into the small pond, and the rush of warmth brought a pleased gasp from Lucy. She reclined back against the warmed rocks, the sensation of floating relieving for her tired limbs. She could feel Natsu's calloused hand resting on the back of her calf, guiding her away from the edge of the pond and to the centre, where the bubbles seemed fiercest.

"This is bliss," she sighed, before dunking below the surface briefly.

When she emerged she caught Natsu's stare, the wide smile and peeking fangs. Despite the looming death and the possibility that they could never make it out, she felt content. Happy, elated, lighter than air. Better than she had ever felt in the real world, and the revelation shook her to the core. She banished those thoughts as quickly as they came and forced herself from the comfort of the makeshift onsen, a distracted smile attempting to soothe the sudden concern on Natsu's face.

"It'll be dark soon. Don't big things with teeth look for water at sunset?"

"Probably would be best to find a secluded spot to camp at. The denser the better," Natsu nodded, rising to his full height. Lucy embarrassedly averted her eyes from his naked torso, as if she hadn't spent hours mud wrestling with the man.

She equipped back into her travelling gear, the weight of her weapons welcome at her hip and wrist. Lucy checked her backpack for provisions, forcing stamina potions down Natsu's throat after his third refusal. He begrudgingly took them, muttering all the while about their worthlessness. Lucy sipped on hers as they hiked further into the East Forest that boarded Magnolia, which they had reached mere minutes after leaving the spring. If Natsu's calculations were correct, they would make it to the town by tomorrow's noon.

It was Lucy who spied the perfect camping spot, and she left Natsu to setting it up while she gathered firewood for the cold night ahead of them. Without her partner by her side like he had been for the whole trip, the forest seemed disconcerting. She found herself jumping at little noises, awareness heightened. With each shudder, she chastised herself for relying so heavily on Natsu after less than a week in his company. Before she would avidly explore the forest around Oak Town, senses trained for boar and the odd goblin. And yet now she could hardly collect firewood without feeling the absence of her goofball partner.

She could easily put it down to being in new territory. Who knew what creatures had claimed the springs? How many goblins had laid waste to the caves? What of the bandit NPC's engineered to maim the unsuspecting traveller?

Such thoughts did not bode well, and so Lucy forced them away and focused her all on her surroundings. The woods were thankfully not silent, the trees teeming with birdsong and the odd squirrel, and so the threat of a predator was low. Feeling less ill at ease, Lucy picked around the pine grove until she had an armful of firewood. She transferred the load to her inventory and began on the short walk back, gathering extra tree limbs as she went.

Lucy had just reached the tree line when she felt it — the sensation of being watched. She did not stop or let her step falter, knowing that any sign of weakness would be reason enough for her stalker to attack.

With all her stomping around, she hadn't noticed the fall of the birdsong, how instead it was replaced with an eerie silence. Her fingers twitched to her dagger, and she drew it slowly, angling her body so that the action was invisible. She must not have been slight enough, for a deep growl sounded to her left. Abandoning all notions of subtlety, Lucy whipped around and faced her opponent, stance widening for an offence.

The trees seemed to waver, the trunks blending into each other. It wasn't until she spied a flash of fangs that the wolf made itself known, slinking away from the tree line to stalk towards her. Its coat was a mottled grey, the perfect camouflage against the grove, and she almost forgave herself for not noticing the beast sooner.

Swallowing her rising fear, she joined its dance as it circled her, trying to wean out a weakness. She gave the beast none. A wolf could very well kill her. She had to be cunning, sly, a step ahead of its every move.

"I don't want to hurt you," she whispered to its snarling maw, almost lost in the gold of its feral gaze. "But if you make me, please understand that I never wanted to."

Lucy ducked low as the wolf lunged with a menacing growl. She swung on it, using her whip-coiled arm as a makeshift shield. Despite knowing that the creature was completely fabricated, Lucy could not bring herself to land the first strike. She would resist until the very last moment. Sensing this, the beast brought the full force of its bite down on her arm.

There was a wince of pressure as the enchanted leather faltered, but then it seemed to throw the beast's strength back at it, forcing the yellowed maw to snap closed. Its powerful claws, however, were free to tear, and shred they did. She felt the burn of ripping flesh, the slow trickle of warm blood down her arm. Lucy barely had time to mutter a blood coagulating incantation before the wolf lunged around her blockaded arm, using each powerful forepaw to pin her shoulders to the pine-needled undergrowth.

"Lucy!" Natsu's frantic voice bellowed through the wood, and Lucy felt her blood run cold. She had to end this before the wolf rounded on her partner, before the beast disappeared into the trees again and toyed with them both.

The edge of her blade bit into her flesh as Lucy pushed against the wolf's maw, the glistening teeth closing in for her neck.

"I commit this soul to the everlasting heavens," she struggled to whisper, and drove the dagger into the wolf's side. The yelp it loosed broke her heart, and as selfish as it was, she was glad it was not her attack that stole its last breath.

That act belonged to the arcing fireball launched from the tree line, and her rampaging partner readying a flaming hook as he approached. She could feel the heat of his blazing fist as he stepped around her, figure almost blocking the display of garnet crystals of the wolf's final moments. Natsu seemed to bristle, senses extending to the forest for more predators before deeming it safe. He dropped to her side, warm arms taking hold of her and pulling her upright.

"I'm okay," she insisted. "Just a scratch. I already cast a spell to clot the wound."

His nostrils flared, narrowed eyes seeking out the wound. "Is that the only one?" his voice was guttural, battle hardened.

"Yes," Lucy confirmed, and laid a hand on his tensed shoulder. "I am completely fine."

Her partner nodded, wrapping an arm around her so that her injured arm was cradled against his warm side. "Let's get out of here before any of its mates show up — not that I wouldn't mind a scuffle, but I'm starved."

"I couldn't agree more," Lucy sighed, eyes flicking back to the scorched patch of earth marking the spot of the beast's demise. She brought both herself and Natsu to a jarring halt when she spotted a glint of silver amongst the charred leaves.

If she focused enough, she could just make out a hushed tinkling, and yet her heart soared at the chiming. Lucy had come to recognise the touch of magic, and she knew that there was something her heart needed, a gaping chasm that needed to be filled by these spirits. She slipped out of Natsu's hold and sprinted back to where the scuffle had ensued, the silver a beacon.

"Oi," Natsu protested, jogging after her. "We're meant to be going the other way."

Lucy squatted and dug through the brambles, earth still warm from the remnants of Natsu's attack. Dirt caked under nails as she turned the earth over, frantic and yearning for the spirit calling to her. Her fingers brushed something cool and she dived for it, unearthing a starlight-bright key. She brushed her earth-crusted fingers over the cool metal, savouring the tingling of each stroke. Behind her closed eyes, words flowed like water, images of another time. A gem-studded sky, the moon full and warm. The pounding of paws upon dewy grass, each breath strong and quick. A wondrous beast of old, birthed from the Night Mother, Nyx, to prey upon the worst of her children.

" _Lupus_ ," she whispered reverently, and the key warmed in her clutch. She didn't need her guide book to recall the summoning incantation, the verse burned into her recollection. The words rolled from her tongue eagerly, like her body ached to call the spirit, to bring it home to her heart.

Stardust gathered at the key's teeth, spreading to the forest air and forming a shape vaguely reminiscent of a wolf. Lucy stepped back as the lights seemed to focus around the central figure, the radiance almost blinding.

"Shit," she heard Natsu hiss over the dull roar of her heart, and she chanced a look at him to find her partner awestruck, wide eyes soaking in every detail of her summoning.

A small whine alerted her, and Lucy whipped around to find Lupus crouched on the forest floor, golden eyes lowered to her feet and slate-grey ears flattened.

"Hey…" she whispered, and slowly crawled across the undergrowth towards the familiar Spirit. "It's okay."

Lupus rolled to his side, exposing the tender skin of his underbelly. His whining continued, reaching a heart-wrenching pitch. Lucy laid her hand upon his ribs, marvelling at the softness of the fur beneath her fingers. She gently guided his head to meet her warm gaze. The emotion behind the Spirit's eyes almost floored her. As timeless and wise as the creature seemed, the concern for her and their bond going forward was humbling. She accepted his submission, laying her cheek atop his head.

"I'm not mad," she hushed, and a choked laugh left her lips when the wolf laid an eager lick against her cheek, and with a pitiful whine he began to bathe the nasty cut on her arm, the one gouged into her flesh by his own claws.

"Lucy, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Natsu warned, moving forward with his fists clenched. Lupus' lips raised in a snarl, slipping from Lucy's loose embrace to stand protectively over her.

"Natsu, stop it," she hissed, "he thinks you're trying to hurt me."

"And did he not just try to rip your damn throat out?" he growled right back, summoning his flames. Lupus bristled, hackles raising and a snarl coming from a deeper, guttural place. Lucy couldn't help the shiver, realising suddenly that the wolf would give its own life for hers.

"He won't anymore," she argued, voice full of a determined indignation, "although I won't chance that he might still do that to _you_."

It took her partner a moment to let the idea sit before he relaxed his stance, flames sizzling out. "So, what? You summon him and now you're both best buds for life?"

"That's how it works," she confirmed with a light smile, hand returning to her beast's back. She felt the muscles shimmer as he continued his pacing, eyes regarding her partner warily. "It may take some time for you two to become the 'best of buds', by the looks of it."

Natsu scoffed, and says dryly, "How tragic."

An idea suddenly formed, and she had to restrain her wicked smile at the thought of it. "You know… there's no better team bonding exercise than hunting for dinner."

Now her partner openly snorted. "As if! This thing will just take it for itself."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

"Oh, yeah?"

Lucy let a tiny smirk through with her next words: "You're not going to let a wolf show you up, are you, Mister Dragon Slayer?"

She whispered her command to Lupus, delighted with the surge of excitement she felt through their shared connection as Spirit and Mistress. Lupus bolted into the wood, hide blending with the tightly packed spruce and birch. Natsu's glare was almost scandalised, and Lucy broke into laughter as he raced after her spirit. Once both boys were gone, she made her way back to camp, sipping on a health potion for her wound as she did so.

Natsu had already set a small fire, and Lucy fed it eagerly with her gathered firewood. The warmth spread across her cheeks and chest, welcome as the sun began its descent and left the woods to the coolness of night. The tea she brewed from foraged herbs further warmed her, hibiscus and chrysanthemum calming her while also warding off any infection she may have contracted through her slash. As for wound care, there wasn't much she could do without a healer. The medicinal arts were finicky and laborious to study; she could only commit to learning the basics while also practising her own Celestial magic. The blood had coagulated on its own, and so the charm for it was unnecessary.

She must have dozed off to sleep, for when she awoke it was to the crackling of firewood and the scent of a roasted boar. Lupus had left — that much she could tell from the burst of energy her Spirit's absence gifted her. Holding open gates for prolonged periods of time was difficult upon her magic reserves, especially so after sustaining an injury.

"Look who's finally awake," Natsu chuckled to her right, and she looked over to find him feasting on the boar.

"How long was I asleep?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. You were out when I got back. Must be the drain to your reserves."

"And Lupus?"

Now his eyes twinkled, a wicked grin splitting his greasy lips. "Gotta admit, he's got some spunk. Wouldn't mind fighting him again some other time."

"Not happening," Lucy groused, and forced herself from the warmth of her bedroll. "How close are we to Magnolia?"

Natsu moved over on the log bench, allowing her to squeeze in next to the warmth of him and the roaring fire. He grinned at her pleased sigh, affectionately bumping her shoulder with his own. "We should be there by noon tomorrow, earlier if we leave before dawn."

"Let's do that, then," she hummed in thought, "that way we'll be closer to sorting out the front lines for the second boss."

"Look at you," he chuckled. "Already acting like a general after one boss fight."

"Well, sitting around and speculating won't get us home any faster," she argued, unaware of the sudden dullness to his eyes, the drop of his smirk.

"Yeah, home…"

They settled into an easy silence, Lucy gorging her fill before taking another potion for her wound. Natsu had slathered a salve over it, claiming it to work miracles. The pungent smell had her cursing the poultice, but she dealt with it, trusting her partner's intuition. And, despite the drain on her reserves she knew it would bring, she summoned Lupus again to patrol as they slept. With all her training with Aquarius, she knew she could handle sustaining a silver key at least until first light. Lucy would not risk her or Natsu's life by leaving them unguarded as they slept in such unfamiliar woods. Even Natsu admitted to the increased danger, often comparing the beta to child's play.

"Goodnight, Natsu," she whispered, watching him through slitted eyelids as he kicked a leg out of his bedroll.

"Night, Luce," he said simply.

She fell asleep to the thrum of the fire as it died off slowly, firebugs dancing over the pine needles far above her and into the star-scattered sky.

* * *

And we're back! I'm so glad that you're enjoying DoDK enough to come back for another taste. **You can expect _chapter 3_ on the 20th of September. **

Thank you so much to my beta **noseinabook145** for her advice and dedication to this fic! I'm sure these 10K chapters are a nightmare to edit, so big props for that, hun!

A warm, loud **thank you** to my reviewers! I'll be giving out sneak peeks **IF WE HIT REVIEW MILESTONES.** So this chapter's goal is **25 reviews** for an excerpt of chapter 3, which I will post in a **week's time on this chapter!**

 _Review Replies:  
_ **Wiinter,** I love you too!

 **narutoyaoifan,** thank you! I've always thought there was so much potential for an SAO plot in an FT world. Can you guess which of Zeref's demons will make an appearance in the chapters to come?

 **endailles,** GIIIIRL I'M IN LOVE WITH YOUR ENTHUSIASM. I hope these chapter sneak peeks will help tide you over!

 **LavenderMoonRose,** thank you! Let's just say, there's more than what meets the eye...

 **4evrDorkly17,** hey stranger, it's been a minute! I'm so glad you're enjoying DODK! As always my lovely, THANK YOU for your kind words!

 **Lily,** thank you! I'll definitely be expanding on this lil project of mine.

 **T-tawny,** 10/10 love seeing reviews like yours!

 **fpinheiro96,** thank you! Hopefully I'll keep hitting you guys with new and improved writing!

 **LSH,** your wish is my command!

 **Forbidden-Hanyou,** thenyou'll definitely pick up on my slip-ups before I do! Hopefully, I'll blow you away as much as SAO did!

 **SleepinBeautyK,** Erza could never die, it would be a sin! I'm so thankful that you're enjoying this so much. I'll be looking forward to hearing your theories as we keep getting closer to the finale. Happy's presence will be a sweet little surprise, so stay tuned for that!

.

.

.


	3. Fenrir the Devourer

_._

 _._

 _._

 _Dance of the Dragon King_

 _._

 _._

 _._

* * *

 _three_

* * *

As Natsu had predicted, they broke through the scrub of the East Forest by mid-noon. Magnolia by then was only five minutes away on foot, and Lucy savoured the paved road beneath each footfall. The forest had been naught but a death trap, each step plagued by exposed tree roots and hidden boulders. Natsu displayed far more grace than she, picking a path better suited for them. She had the luck of finding each and every obstacle to snag herself on.

"There it is," Natsu announced, eyes cast to the north. Lucy followed his pointed finger, eyes widening as she saw the city spread before her.

It was just like Marseille. Towering like a steadfast guard over the city and its people was a cathedral reminiscent of St. Vincent de Paul Church. Twin emerald-helmeted spires stretched far into the heavens, and hidden away in each were grand bells. She could spy the brass through the intricate iron fretwork, reflecting the high sun and casting a golden light over the city centre. The bells tolled one o'clock as Lucy roamed through the main gates, jaw agape. Each cobblestone seemed to be plucked from her memory and placed before her. A tribute, or a mockery of the life she may never lead again?

She completely forgot about Natsu's presence at her side, could barely notice the warmth he gave off. Nor was she aware of her mumblings. Lucy was almost thankful when the similarities seemed to die off – unlike Marseille, Magnolia was divided into blatant sections through an impressive canal system. The water seemed free of use to all, as she noticed some fishermen heading out to sea and traders utilising the canal water.

"This way," Natsu snagged her wrist, banishing her thoughts.

She had to stop getting carried away with her musing, she realised. Their journey to Magnolia had not merely been for social purposes; the second boss lay in wait somewhere. Lucy let Natsu lead them with a slow jog, and the excitement of seeing his family seemed almost palpable, a physical force between them. She had always been the outcast, after all. The concept of _family_ was really quite alien to her.

"Hurry up!" Natsu called over his shoulder, eyes almost shimmering.

" _You_ hurry up, you're the one dragging me!"

Fairy Tail was like nothing she had ever imagined, virtually or in real life.

Natsu's colourful explanations hadn't done it any justice; in his words, the building was a ' _weird Aladdin-shaped castle thingy but without all the big domes and gold because we'll never be able to afford that shit, have you seen how much we break?_ '

In actuality, the building was a fortress, built to withstand centuries of wild weather and engineered to protect its occupants with a fearsome dedication. Allegedly, demons ascended upon the looming citadel in x686 in search of the very first guild master, Mavis Vermillion. With crushing fang and bloodied claw, they tore at the enchanted brick, thoughts of pillaging and murder on their possessed minds. They didn't notice the spell slowly activating, ancient runes sharpening into focus until the entire sky glowed golden with their luminescence. The stone bricks came alive, much like coal under pressure, but in place of diamonds was lacrima imbedded with the souls of every Fairy Tail mage to ever have passed on. Or at least, that was what Natsu had told her, and she made no mention of the fact she had read nothing of the sort in the guide book. Not that it seemed a bit improbable, given the newness of this world.

"We're home!" Natsu roared with a chest full of fire, and Lucy danced away from the flames before they could singe the flyaway hairs escaping her braid.

"The durability spell isn't designed to withstand an idiot!" she could just discern Gray yelling over the cacophony of cheers and screams.

She felt herself whisked away from the insanity of a Natsu-sized homecoming by a small statured player Lucy had never met before.

"I'm Levy," the girl called over shoulder, all wild blue hair and honeyed doe eyes. "Erza has told me so much about you!"

"Oh," Lucy hummed, "all good things, I hope?"

Levy's smile was infectious. "Most definitely!"

They stopped at the bar, where it seemed the most sensible members congregated during such brawls. Lucy wondered at the logistics of it all; wouldn't such combat damage one's health? Partners and teams, she knew, were protected against friendly fire through the some of the game's surviving systems. Could such engines extend to whole guilds?

Levy must have noticed Lucy's pondering, for she provided, "It's the guild hall that protects us. The building is charmed so that no one, whether it be friend or foe, can be harmed by lethal attacks. If the brawl moves to the street, they'll start to lose health."

"That's actually quite practical," Lucy mused.

"I thought so too."

The bite of cool steel was all the warning Lucy had before she was pulled into a plated chest, the embrace an odd mix of warmth and pain.

"Hey, Erza," she greeted once released, eyeing the woman and her guild master's garb.

A gold-plated cuirass guarded her chest and vital organs, beneath it fine chain mail that glistened like the crystals Lucy had once indulged in a past life. Fixed around her shoulders was a billowing ruby cape, trimmed with golden embroidery. Cuisses covered her legs all the way up to her thighs, the thin metal fashioned to resemble scales. Each one seemed to reflect the light, the bronzed plating engraved with silver runes. A split leather skirt left both left both legs free to move, the middle piece expending longer for modesty rather than protection.

She looked like a fearsome Centurion, the kind of woman who could split skulls and shear off limbs. Lucy couldn't think of any other person better fit to coordinate the front lines, and for the first time she felt real, tangible hope that they could survive.

"Right!" Erza yelled over the roar of voices, her authority stilling the breath of each mage crowded within the hall. "I want this mess cleared in five minutes! We have a strategy meeting to commence now that we are all here, and I will not tolerate tardiness! Are we understood?"

No sooner had the guild been cleared that they were huddled around the centre of the hall, the benches having been pushed against the sides of the large room. Their guild master stood upon a dais flanked by the teams that participated in the vanquishing of Lullaby, each one matching the hardened expression on Erza's face.

"As you all know," Erza began, "most of our integral members were part of the beta. They will raise their hands — if you are new, have a look around and familiarise yourself with their faces. They will be your guides throughout these months."

Lucy was unsurprised to see Levy raise her hand, and she looked past her to the rest of the crowd. The beta testers had congregated at the bar, and Lucy was perplexed by the mix of ages. A girl possibly no older than thirteen waved shyly to the audience, and next to her were the burliest, most brutish men Lucy had ever seen. Assembled by the blond man were, who she assumed to be, his team — and a ragtag one at that. The barmaid and her siblings all had their hands raised as well, wide and hopeful smiles adorning their faces except for their brother, who seemed to brood sullenly with his arms crossed over a beefy chest.

"I have had Levy begin devising our plan. She has spent the past few weeks delving into the archives with the help of our friends in Blue Pegasus. We believe that we have managed to put together a map of the dungeon system, and let this be a warning to any of the beta testers that they are not to be trifled with alone. There are absolutely no similarities between the previous version of the game and our current."

Erza narrowed the full extent of her glare at Gray and Natsu, angling it over the two men by the bar and the rest of the blonde's odd entourage. "With that being said, by this weekend I hope to have begun clearing out the paths in level two. What Levy has found is that the dungeon seems to follow as one gargantuan maze; you are more likely to run into a trap than you are to stumble upon one of Zeref's Demons. I have word from the other guilds, and they will have teams meet us at the entrance this Friday. Be adequately prepared or I will deny your entry on the grounds of safety for not only yourself, but everyone else participating."

She seemed to humble then, less a terrifying Commander but more of the scared girl Lucy had been, and really still was. The display of vulnerability almost floored the newcomer.

"I don't want to lose any of you. Each decision you make, each risk you decide to chance, has catastrophic consequences. I urge you, put away your pride. Do not let your ego jeopardise your ability to think clearly. This is no longer a mere game — it is our reality, and the lives of every single soul trapped here hinge on your ability to push aside your pride and think not only for the good of yourself, but the preservation of all of us."

* * *

By Friday morning, Lucy was aching to get back on the front lines. She found herself no longer able to sit still, and what little spare time she had she gave to Levy, and to the maps the woman seemed to constantly pour over.

Being forced to bunk with her partner had kept her wits as sharp as a knife's edge —Natsu was quite determined to keep up her training. They had settled into an arrangement of sorts. Dawn would find them slinking through the woods, engaged in a violent game of hide and seek. So far, the tally stood in Natsu's favour, but Lucy was determined to adjust that. Lupus enjoyed the games just as much as her, and he proved himself a valuable ally. It also gave them time to bond and train as Spirit and Mistress, and Lucy found herself able to sustain his gate for an entire day before being forced to close it.

A week later she found herself waiting at the guild with Natsu asleep on her shoulder. She had packed both of their packs the previous night, knowing Natsu wouldn't bring along the allocated number of wellbeing tonics if left to his own devices. The past week living with the man had many startling realisations as well, possibly the most surprising being Natsu's sleepless nights. She would hear him in the small hours of the morning, gasping for breath and whining wordlessly, like a starved infant. That first morning her heart lurched in her throat, and she ran through the dark to him, a light spell lingering at her fingertips.

No amount of calling his name had woken him from the terrors that plagued his sleep. Lucy had swallowed all notions of propriety in that moment and crawled in beside him, draping her limbs over his flailing ones to still them. Slowly, his pulse settled, a serenity befalling his clenched features. The man looked pained, and it broke Lucy's heart. It was the widest smiles that hid the greatest pain. And so it became their new norm, falling asleep separately and awakening in the other's arms come first light.

She let him sleep on her shoulder for as long as she could before gently rousing him as they were moving out, the expedition gaining quite a few volunteers. He grumbled the whole time, sticking close to her side as they left through South Gate Park towards the caves in the near distance, tearing from the mountainside like the ribs of a giantess.

There was a bitter feeling in the air, each and every one of her guild mates aware of the danger. It was all too possible that they would be leaving with less than they arrived with, and the thought was rotten, a curse almost. Lucy had come to know each one of her comrades, and she wouldn't wish any harm upon them. As inexperienced as she was, she had a will stronger than most to survive.

"This way!" Levy called form the head of the pack, flanked by Gajeel and her two team members, Jet and Droy.

As a group, they veered right off the beaten path and straight into the wild forest. She could smell the earth on the air, the warmth of wildflowers and musky moss. At her side, she felt Natsu's chest swell as he sampled the air, senses trained for danger.

"All good?" she asked with a knowing smile.

He rolled his eyes down to her. "For now."

She echoed him wistfully, steeling her senses. The void of the dungeon would soon be upon them. She could feel it under her skin, drumming like a second heartbeat; beckoning for her last breath. Natsu must have felt her shudder, for he pulled her tight against his side, words not necessary for the either of them.

When the trees began to clear, Lucy knew they had reached their destination. Carved into the bone-white mountain side were a set of large and imposing doors. Intricate glyphs seemed to be worked deep into the stone, and Lucy reached a hand out to trace a section with an exposed fingertip. Beneath her touch they felt older than time itself, an odd magic sizzling at her skin. She withdrew her hand and left it at her hip, idly flipping through her small collection of keys to hide her sudden shaking.

"Spread out," Erza commanded. "We wait here for the others while they port to us."

She settled beside Natsu, Wendy soon joining them. Lucy had been shocked to learn that the two were cousins, at first mistaking their bond as something fraternal, no doubt brought on by the desire to protect those defenceless from a game aching to steal the life from you. But now she saw the similarity between them; the burning hazel eyes, the strength to endure hardship. Wendy had climbed the player ranks in the beta as a Sky Dragon Slayer, and her restorative prowess became integral to their cause. The responsibility would be crushing, Lucy realised, to have the lives of so many upon your young shoulders. She wondered how the girl didn't buckle under it, but seeing her cuddled up to her cousin, a pleasant smile livening her youthful features, Lucy somewhat understood.

She summoned Plue mostly for companionship, smiling as Wendy held the spirit to her chest. Not long after, the other frontline fighters began trickling in with bursts of silvery light, each a new face for Lucy to catalogue. Erza immediately took charge by organising the crowd into their corresponding guilds, before allowing the guild masters to form teams. Lucy was unsurprised to find herself and Natsu once again grouped with Erza and Gray, though this time Wendy joined their ranks.

"Did you bring your dagger?" Natsu quizzed the girl, frustration twisting his features at her meek denial. "Wendy, I thought I told you to keep a weapon on you!"

"I don't want to use one if I can help it!" Wendy shot back, shoulders beginning to shake. "I never want to use one of those things to harm someone."

Lucy recognised Natsu's clenched jaw for his impending outburst, so she quickly laid a hand against his tense chest, pushing him away so she could kneel by Wendy's side. She rubbed soothing circles across Wendy's hunched shoulders, her smile gentle and nurturing.

"I know that hurting someone may scare you, but getting hurt is a whole lot scarier," Lucy whispered in a muted tone, all too aware of the strangers around them. She placed a hand upon the swell of her hip, where her own scabbard rest. "Natsu's not asking you to wield a sword. Why don't you let us give you something small, for our sakes? That way we know you'll be able to protect yourself should something happen."

Wendy stayed silent, a minute nod the only affirmation she was willing to give. Lucy backed up as Natsu wound his arms around his cousin, cheek resting atop her head and his embrace firm.

"I promised your mum that I would look after you, no matter the cost. But it's kinda hard when you don't listen to me, yeah?"

"I'm sorry," Wendy whispered into his chest. "I promise I'll do what you say."

Natsu's face blanched slightly. "It's not about doing what I say, Wen. It's about keeping yourself prepared and alive."

Lucy took that moment to sort through her inventory, scrolling past the miscellaneous items to her weapons. She had equipped most of them, but she knew a stiletto knife remained. It shimmered into existence in her palm, no bigger than the length of her hand and about as wide as her thumb. The hilt of the blade was constructed from dainty silver, curved to fit the contours of its wielder's grip. She closed her eyes and funnelled her magic down into the dagger, a protection charm on her lips.

" _Sit celeritas benedicite dominum tuum_ ," and then, " _protegas dominum_."

When she opened her eyes, the dagger shimmered with a silvery-gold light, shifting as she swiped it through the air experimentally. Deeming it ready for Wendy, she crawled on her knees towards the girl and slipped the scabbard through a notch on the girl's belt.

"The dagger will increase your swing speed, and it will absorb any attack you parry and throw it right back at your opponent," she informed both of her shocked companions, pulling Wendy into a swift embrace. "My magic isn't the best for offence either, so I'll hang back with you as support. You won't be alone in there for a second."

She felt Natsu's warm hand on her shoulder, his silent gratitude. Lucy reached up and lay her hand over his, shooting her partner a warm smile.

"Move out!" Erza commanded from her station by the dungeon's entrance, and the three of them pushed through the masses to join their team leader.

Gray shot her an easy smirk, mist escaping through the cracks of his clenched fists. "You good?" he queried, and Lucy nodded with a smile.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

His smile softened. "That's the first step to surviving this hell hole."

It took almost half of Fairy Tail to get the doors to budge open, and the rush of damp air that greeted them did little to settle her nerves. Her limbs felt heavy, she found suddenly, and she wobbled into Natsu's side unsteadily.

"What's going on?" she panicked, grasping Wendy's shoulder and tugging the girl to her side.

"No idea," he choked. "I don't like it, though."

Her vision grew dark, and through her slitted eyes she recognised the flashes of magic from the others. She weakly attempted to grab a key, but she sooner fell to her knees before she wrapped her fingers around the handle of Lupus' key.

"Wendy, stay close," she managed to rasp, choking on the wretched air.

Her head hit the stone floor heavily, darkness sweeping over her mind and stealing her every thought, sucking the consciousness from her and replacing it with a bittersweet sleep.

* * *

She awoke with a jolt, crawling through the dark in a panicked state.

"Natsu?" she whispered in the silence, tuning her ears for anything. "Wendy?"

Her hand brushed something warm and she flinched back, recognising the smoothness of another's flesh.

"Hello?" she tried again, summoning what feeble light spell she could with a head fogged with sinister magic.

She could recognise nothing. Stone above her, stone below her. Her claustrophobia swelled in her chest, but she forced herself to swallow the lump, knowing that her life depended on it. There was only room for rationality.

With that thought, she closed her eyes and _forced_ the foreign magic from her body, calling upon every star willing to listen. The magic slithered away from her Celestial light, the essence of her magic nothing like what had possessed her. Her magic was warm, soothing, pure. _This_ magic reeked of malice, and she was glad to be rid of it.

Spirit strengthened, she fed more of her magic into her light spell, welcoming the wash of golden radiance. Her eye was immediately drawn to the huddle in the centre of the cavern, the blue hair unmistakable. She rushed to the figure, heart soaring with hope, but as she turned the girl's body over it was Levy's face that welcomed her, not Wendy. Worry ate at her then; would the girl be safe? Where was Natsu, did he have her?

She shook off the disappointment, focusing on the woman that clearly needed her help. Lucy stumbled through casting a diagnostic enchantment, the restorative craft something she had not devoted as much time as she could have to learning it. Levy's body began to radiate a dull scarlet as the spell took hold, before being swallowed by the darkness, though this one swirled over her skin. The magic, Lucy realised. It was eating into Levy's own magic and poisoning her.

Lucy only knew a single purifying spell, and she hoped to the heavens it was strong enough to purge the black from Levy's blood. Hovering her hands over her friend's chest, she focused her magic, feeling it respond in kind. The incantation that fell from her lips was smooth and firm, a demand. She recognised the warmth rushing through her arms as her magic, and she directed it right at Levy, filling her full until she gleamed a rich gold. The dark magic escaped much like before, fleeing to the dark of the cavern and slithering into the cracked stone.

"Levy," she tried the girl's name, giving her shoulder a gentle shake. "Levy, you need to get up."

Thankfully, she roused, eyes opening blearily to Lucy hovering above her. "Lu? What happened?"

"Oh, thank the heavens," Lucy gasped, wrapping the Script mage in an embrace, "you're okay."

"I feel so drained," Levy groaned as she sat up on the cold stone, bringing her knees to her chest and placing her head between them. "I just need a moment."

Lucy watched her wrap her arms securely around her knees, moving forward to rub soothing circles between Levy's shoulders.

"I don't blame you. It seems like there was a dark magic infecting us. I managed to cleanse you of it, but it did manage to absorb quite a large amount of your own power. I have a potion you can take once you've settled down somewhat."

"And you? How did you shake it?" Levy's voice was muffled, her wording belying just how exhausted she must have felt.

"My magic is derived from the Heavens, so I'm assuming that it's almost holy. I banished it before it could do too much damage to me."

"Tale as old as time," Levy hummed, before shooting up with a gasp. "Where's everyone else, where's Gajeel?"

Lucy felt her own worry begin to swell. "I don't know. As far as I can tell, it's just us here. Whatever is in this dungeon must have split us all up."

"We have to find them," Levy's voice shook as she said the words, and Lucy recognised her battle for control over her emotions.

"I agree, but not before you have a restorative potion," and Lucy thrust the small vial into Levy's grasp, taking out her own and downing it. The burst of replenishment it provided was exhilarating, like the world sharpened and focused. Her magic felt tuned as well, her strength returned and mind sharp.

Levy needed no assistance picking herself up, her gaze clear and keen. "I can cast a doorway to get us out of here. If it's enchanted already, I'll need to use a rune spell," her gaze flicked over to Lucy's, unsure suddenly. "It may take a while."

Lucy nodded with understanding. "I don't doubt it. If you need any help, let me know. I'll see if I can spot anyone on the maps."

Both women set to work on their individual tasks, Lucy summoning her player menu and examining the dungeon map. She could see Natsu and Wendy's player tags off a hallway a few levels below them, and the relief threatened to floor her. She hadn't realised how sick with anxiety she had spun herself, and the unravelling of that coil left her feeling weightless.

She tracked the rest of her team. Erza was trapped in a system similar to what Lucy found herself in, and the Knight was accompanied by Gray. She could only hope that the dark magic hadn't infected them as it had with her and Levy. How many mages knew purification spells? How many of them could fight it off?

"Almost done," Levy called, and Lucy glanced over to find the woman sorting through an onslaught of jade runes.

The entire wall of stone seemed networked against penetration, the spellwork impressive. But Levy still found a tiny fissure, and she threw every single combination of runework she had at the crack. Before Lucy's eyes, the hole widened and stretched, a gaping crack leading into what looked like a dimly lit passageway.

"Go!" Levy shouted, and Lucy bound through the opening, barely catching her balance as Levy threw her own body after Lucy.

The runes holding the gap open shimmered away into nothing, but still, the hole stayed open, jagged and barely large enough for a body but steadfast enough.

"Thank you," Lucy praised, and returned Levy's sudden smile.

"And thank you too, Lucy. You saved my life."

Lucy left it at that, focusing instead on mapping a path for them to follow. "I've found the rest of my team, but they're still a few floors below us."

Levy brought up her own menu, brow furrowing at the screen. "That's weird."

"What is?" Lucy asked, and craned her head over to watch over Levy's shoulder.

"According to the map, Gajeel should be right here."

"What?" Lucy spun in a slow circle, eyeing each wall and the narrow pathways continuing on into the dark. "There's nothing here. Could it be a glitch?"

"Gajeel," Levy called instead, rushing forward. "Are you here?"

Lucy had no choice but to follow, summoning a light spell to guide their way more easily. Up ahead the path seemed to fork, one continuing through the dark and the other leading down into an open cavern. She craned her head over, analysing the drop.

"That is certainly not an option. We would die going over that."

"So left it is," Levy barely got out before she was sprinting into the dark, mindless of what could be lingering in it.

The both of them managed a couple more steps before Levy suddenly gasped, dropping to her knees to cradle a mass of shadow. The tendrils snaked up her arms, but Lucy's magic must have lingered for they retracted just as swiftly, a shrieking hiss occupying the dense silence.

"Oh, gods," Levy whispered.

"Gajeel?"

Lucy felt her heart drop to her knees, and she rushed forward, fearless of the shadows as they shrieked at her. "Is he okay?"

"I don't know," Levy's voice broke, and she pulled the man more firmly into her lap.

Lucy closed her eyes tightly, reaching her magic forward to begin to unravel the threads of dark magic that had cocooned the Slayer. She managed the first few layers, but the sheer malice of the shades weakened her, left her magic feeling like naught but a flickering candle against perpetual black. She felt the coils snap closed again, squeezing tighter and draining the man steadily.

"It's too dense," she hissed, screwing her eyes shut to begin the process again. Levy's hand atop her own gave her pause, and she opened her eyes to find the woman's gaze steely.

"Together," she said simply, and Lucy let her entwine their hands.

They both took a steadying breath, and Lucy was unsure for a moment of their success rate. Levy was a Solid Script Mage, how could she possibly help with a holy spell? But the brush of Levy's magic as she uttered an incantation chased those doubts away; the woman radiated a holy energy, a stunning light emitting from the words scrawled in the air above Gajeel. Lucy pushed her magic forward, the purification spell once again falling from her lips in an authoritative tone, the enchantment an absolute command.

The shadows engulfing Gajeel gave a piercing shriek, and Lucy let go of Levy to shield her ears, eyes still screwed tightly shut. The walls shook around them, dust trickling through the cracks of the rocks. And Gajeel's body slowly emerged from the spell of dark magic, flesh a sickly grey and breathing shallow.

"Gajeel!" Levy sank to her knees again, pulling him into her lap. Lucy quickly summoned a vial of restorative elixir and guided Levy to tip his head back as she poured the foul-smelling brew past his lips.

The man took one, heaving breath, flesh still pallor and gaze slightly frenzied as his eyes shot open. Lucy backed off slightly, giving him room to orient himself. Levy hushed him all the while, stroking the side of his face and humming in a low tone. The bond between them seemed so strong in that moment, and Lucy turned away, not wanting to interrupt their diverted her gaze away from the pair, just managing to catch a tender kiss before her eyes found the floor.

"You're okay, I've got you," Levy hushed, Gajeel's breathing steadying slowly. "Just focus on me, okay?"

It took a while before Gajeel was able to support himself, tangled hair tumbling down his back. It seemed to take him a great deal of effort to move a single limb, back against the wall as he slumped forward into Levy's ready arms. Lucy had another potion at the ready, palming it to Levy as Gajeel caught her eye. She offered a weak smile, a chill settling at the base of her spine.

The air still felt wrong. A threat lingered, something sinister whispering just out of reach.

"Thanks," was Gajeel's gruff response, and Levy beamed a smile up at Lucy.

"Can you remember anything?" Lucy asked the Slayer, realising Levy needed time to collect her own thoughts as she seemed to melt into Gajeel's side.

The man shot Levy a crooked grin, hand running through her hair. "Nothing," he said to Lucy. "All I remember is feeling like my balls were dropping, and then black."

Lucy's nose screwed up slightly. "That's helpful," she cringed.

"You asked," he snorted. He heaved both himself and Levy up, snaring a scarred and muscled arm around the woman's shoulders. "Let's get going. The others are around her somewhere."

Lucy lead the way, dutifully trying to ignore the whispered promises of the lovers behind her. Her skin itched still of that sinister magic, anxiety churning in her stomach. She summoned Lupus for support, trusting the wolf's instincts and sense of smell over her own.

"Find Natsu," she whispered to the ash-grey wolf, smoothing a gentle caress over his silky top coat.

The spirit trot ahead of them, nose scenting the air. Lucy followed as he weaved through the corridors, coming across only a few lower-levelled beasts that her spirit happily tore into. A lance of pain tore across her torso suddenly, and she gasped to a halt, eyes frantically searching for the cause. A flash of red in the corner of her player screen alerted her, and she felt her stomach drop.

"Natsu," she barely managed to whisper, before she was sprinting after Lupus as he took off into the dark, relying on the wolf to find her partner before it was too late.

She hardly acknowledged the thundering steps behind her, the desperate calls of her name. The light spell wasn't necessary with her spirit guiding the way, the air around him shimmering with starlight, so she left it for Levy and Gajeel.

Lupus confidently lead them through a maze of hallways and caverns, his pace increasing the faster Lucy's anxiety manifested. Natsu's health bar continued to steadily drop before surging to the orange-level, a dance with death as the drain came faster each time. The smoulder of firelight reached her then, and she focused on it, using it as a beacon to guide her.

" _Fire Dragon's Claw!"_

She would recognise Natsu's voice anywhere, and the growl behind his incantation worried her. He sounded exhausted, manic. Just what had he gotten himself into?

A final corner lay between them. She stumbled around it, Lupus' flank against her thighs stabilising her teetering balance. Natsu's name was on her lips when she vaulted into an expansive cavern and right into an invisible barrier. Lucy bounced off it, recognising the network of spellwork from the cavern Levy busted them out of.

What lay before her drove her to frenzy. There was Natsu, entire body cloaked with vicious flames, eyes ablaze and lips skewed with a snarl. Before him stood a wall of hulking flesh and fangs, a beast Lucy knew would haunt every single one of her nightmares. But behind him was Wendy, hovering in the air as she worked hard on keeping Natsu alive. The girl had cast a shield spell on herself, eyes tightly shut and arms raised.

Lucy knew their opponent was the level two boss. There was no questioning it. She dragged herself to the outline of the doorway, still winded from her collision against the shieldbarrier. When she placed her hand against the invisible entrance, the information screen flashed into being, a red plaque that cast a rosy light in her face. _Fenrir the Devourer_ , it read in bold text. _He Who Dwells in the Dark._

She scrawled through the stats like a woman gone mad, heart quickening with each line. Fenrir had three health bars, and when the final one was reached the wolf hybrid would shatter and remerge as alpha of an entire pack of werewolves. Natsu had only managed to wipe out one of the health bars, and she knew it would only be a matter of time before the second was gone, too. There was no chance he had read the plaque before going in — knowing her partner, he had stumbled into the cavern, all blazing fury and worry. Or worse yet, he was deliberately put there. She beat her fists against the barrier, mindless of the sparks that scorched her skin with each strike.

"Natsu!" she screamed, voice raw. "Wendy!"

Neither of the Slayers paid her any mind, leading Lucy to believe that the barrier must have been spelled against interaction from the world outside Fenrir's lair. Zeref was purposefully doing this. He wanted to separate them and break them all, one by one. And like lambs they walked right into his trap, and here she was — heart breaking, voice failing, watching her first ever friend be torn apart and not being able to do anything but endure it. Forced to listen to her own pleas, knowing they would never reach his ears.

But she could hear every scream, every threat, every cry.

"Come on, you mongrel!" Natsu snarled, leaping forward with fists shimmering with flames. "Give me all you got!"

Lucy threw herself against the barrier when punching it did nothing. He _needed_ her, Wendy needed her. She had promised the girl she would keep her safe, hadn't she? What worth were her oaths if she still had to watch her friends be slaughtered?

"Lucy, stop!" she barely heard Levy, only registering the burly arms of Gajeel yanking her away from the barrier.

"Let go of me! Can't you see they need me?"

"Yeah, because killing yourself is just what they want," he hissed in her ear, lip piercing stinging the shell of her ear.

It was then that she noticed her health bar and how low it had gotten, how Lupus had been forced back to the Celestial Realm lest he kill her. She let herself be cradled to Gajeel's wide chest, swallowed the potion Levy poured past her lips.

The woman was crying, hair a wild mess as she hushed Lucy's sobs. "We'll fix this. We'll find a way."

Lucy's voice was unrecognisable. "It's too late."

And as Natsu landed a final, crushing kick, sword plunged deep into Fenrir's throat, the wolf hybrid fragmented, the ruby crystals glittering as they fell to the cave floor. Natsu's wide smile broke her heart, and she sobbed his name as he rushed forward to envelope Wendy in a hug, picking the girl up and swinging her around the cavern. She tried to warn them, as raw as her voice was.

A smaller, but no less lethal version of Fenrir stalked forward, flanked by another werewolf. They seemed as tall as horses, muscles shimmering as they stalked closer on four legs rather than two. More beats formed, circling the two cousins as their eyes widened. Wendy began quivering, magic fizzling as she tried to summon another shield.

" _Fuck,_ " Natsu hissed, teeth bared at the pack circling him.

"Levy, please," Lucy sobbed, struggling out of Gajeel's arms. She slipped free and vaulted herself at the shield, throwing magic at it and simultaneously praying for the floor to swallow her up. She couldn't watch the slaughter.

The Solid Script Mage frantically began to undo the runes, sparks of magic catching her fingertips as she sifted through the enchantment for the right sequence.

" _Power of the stout arms that tear the heaven... Arms!"_ Wendy chanted, and Natsu's fire burned cyan along the edge. " _Ile Arms!_ "

His voice was deep, guttural. He reminded her again of the man that stalked her through the woods, the one with the eyes of a man but the snarl of a beast.

"Thanks, Wen," and he aimed an attack at her feet, forcing her to summon a shield. "Do not let that spell go. Understand?"

"What about you?" she quivered, reaching her hand through the shield to pull him in.

Natsu yanked his arm away from her hold, settling the brunt of his glare on her. "I'll be fine. I need you to stay safe. This isn't an option, Wen."

And he leapt into the fray, driving a fist into the flank of a black werewolf. His flames formed claws, and he sunk them deep into the flesh, bypassing ribs and muscle to tear the liver from behind the beast's ribs. Natsu drove his arm further, blood staining his bare arm up to the elbow. Lucy couldn't look away — he tore away the heart and threw it at Fenrir, the organ arcing through the air aflame.

"Damn," Gajeel hissed behind her, breathing rugged. "He might have a chance."

The black wolf shattered into broken ruby crystals. The others pressed closer, growling and yapping, frothing at the maw and eyes swallowed by bloodlust. Natsu gave it back, his own sneer vicious enough to make even Lucy's eyes dart away from his. Fenrir pounced, getting the Slayer on his back, teeth yapping greedily at Natsu's throat.

"Levy, how much longer?" she cried, wringing her hands in her tunic.

"I can't say," the woman grunted, fingers whirling over the runes. "I think I may have found something, but the warding is strong. I might need help."

"What do you need, Shrimp?" Gajeel walked closer, towering over the mage.

"Once I've weakened a section of the script I'll need you to strike it. I can apply the internal pressure, and you'll hit it with external force."

The Slayer summoned his magic, transforming his right arm into an iron rod. The corded muscles fused with the metal silkily, his piercings melting into the rod. "On your call, Shrimp."

Lucy readied her own weapons, Taurus' key settling in her grip comfortably. She bounced the flat edge of her dagger against her leg as she waited, watching Natsu wrestle with Fenrir on the stone floor. The other wolves had settled their sights on Wendy, and they stalked the girl, charging at her shield and weakening it. The young Slayer did her best to ignore them, instead keeping Natsu's health in a safe range and enchanting his attacks when needed. She had summoned _Vernier_ and _Arms_ several times already, and Lucy worried for her strength. The second her power waned, the shield would drop and she would be up against six bloodthirsty wolves. They had to hurry.

"Almost," Levy groaned, throwing all her power into her runework. "The devs really didn't want anyone getting in. I'm almost there."

The next few moments were torturous — Natsu continued to be torn apart, his tunic tearing away completely to reveal bloodied flesh, the skin marred with weeping bite marks and deep, gaping slashes. Wendy kept a strong front, shield steadfast despite the wolves throwing themselves at the ward. All the while Levy worked tirelessly to break through the code enough for Gajeel to do it damage.

"I've got it!" Levy blurted, skin reflecting the glow of her magic. "Gajeel, now!"

The Slayer lurched forward with a roar and Lucy followed right after, watching as his conjured ramming pole struck the shield where Levy had weakened it. There was a tense moment of nothing, the shield absorbing Gajeel's attack and pulling him in. But then a single fissure formed, and the cracks kept spreading. Gajeel kicked in the shield with a heavy boot, transforming his arm into a jagged sword. The two of them burst in, an unworded agreement passing between the two. Lucy would get Natsu and Gajeel could destroy the pack after Wendy.

She bounded across the cavern, footfalls thunderous. Taurus shimmered into existence as she hissed the incantation, leaping ahead of her to seize Fenrir by the hind legs. The spirit tore the wolf away from her partner, his axe arcing high over their heads to bury into Fenrir's side. Lucy fell to her knees by Natsu, frantically mumbling a healing spell she knew would drain her; she wasn't naturally gifted like Wendy, or in possession of the Sky Dragon's restorative craft.

" _Derivantur a sanguine,_ " she murmured, swirling her fingertips in the blood soaking his skin and the stone below them. She brought the tips of her bloodkissed fingers to her lips, chanting the spell directly into his blood.

"Luce?"

She chanced a teary smile. "Hey. I'm sorry it took us so long to get though."

Shock stole his eyes, replacing the pain and fury. "You were there the whole time?"

Lucy could only manage a weak nod. "It was horrible."

She repeated the spell as many times as she could, tracing sigils of healing with his blood. The spell would stop the bleeding and clot the blood, but it could not replenish what he had lost. Lucy used her last pain relieving potion on him, threading her bloodied fingers through his hair as he drank.

"Is that better?" she whispered, like the world around them had dissolved and left just them, alone in the lair of a beast.

"I've been better," he hissed. "Damn thing got me good." He looked up at her then, something unnamed swirling behind his gaze. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"And I'm sorry you had to go through that," she choked. "I wish I had got to you sooner."

A deafening roar masked his reply, and Lucy craned her neck to see the cause. Gajeel had managed to pin the remaining wolves to the cave walls, spiked chains extending from each knuckle. They tore through the flesh with their barbs, silencing the last cries of the wolves. Lucy watched Levy rush to Wendy as the girl fell to her knees, shield flickering as the last wolf was slaughtered.

"Is Wendy okay?" Natsu groaned, attempting to push himself up.

Lucy forced his shoulders down. "Levy has her. She's okay, you protected her. All she needs is a good sleep and a wellness draught."

It seemed to reassure her partner enough, and she watched his eyes flicker closed. She took that moment to glance up, just in time to watch Taurus kick in Fenrir's ribs and force the wolf to the stone. The axe arced high before thundering down, the Spirit cleaving the wolf's head off with a guttural battle cry.

"Gods," she whispered in horror, eyes squeezing shut as the _Congratulations_ screen flashed in front of her.

A sickening feeling crept up her throat at the message that greeted her when her eyes next opened:

 _Congratulations, Ms Heartfilia. You not only managed to find my brother, but you saved his life as well. I will allow you to revel in your hard-won victory for now, but beware; this will not be the last time, and you may not be as prepared when that time comes._

 _You have been aptly warned._

 _-Z_

"Lu?"

She flinched at the interruption, scrambling to close the system message. Something told her that it was for her eyes only, and she trusted that instinct. It did not ease the storm brewing in the pit of her stomach, or the rocks scraping against her throat with each breath. She _would not_ break. There was no time to give in to the inevitable meltdown; there were people depending on her now, and she would not be selfish.

"Yes?" she said instead, meeting Levy's gaze. Wendy was by her side and the girl burrowed into Lucy's ribs, a hand resting on Natsu's chest and ready to cast a diagnostic spell. "Be careful," Lucy warned. "I've done the best I can. You can fix him later when you're not so exhausted, okay?"

"Thank you," Wendy sobbed, eyes rimmed with red. "You saved him."

Lucy shook her head, burying Wendy's head into the crook of her neck. "No," she said firmly, and the hand not entwined with Natsu's began to ease calming circles into the girl's quivering back. " _You_ saved him. What you did was incredible, Wendy. You should be so proud of yourself. You kept him alive, which is more than what any of us could have done."

It took a few more moments before exhaustion stole Wendy, and Lucy shifted her next to her cousin, draping a blanket from her inventory over the both of them. She left lingering kisses on both of their foreheads, scrubbing the tears from her eyes before they could fall.

"Lu, do you want me to message Erza and Gray?"

Lucy walked over to Levy and Gajeel, smiling at the sight of them cocooned in each other's embrace. "That would be great. I need to transfer the prize to Natsu and Wendy, if that's okay?"

It was Gajeel who responded. "There's no one more deserving of it than them. It's not like Shrimp and I need the jewel, anyway."

Lucy smiled gratefully, walking over to the centre of the cavern where the large _Congratulations!_ screen lay in wait of claim. As it was her Spirit that delivered the final, killing blow, Lucy was rewarded with a large sum of the jewel and a unique item. She transferred the money to Natsu and Wendy in equal amounts, and despite Gajeel's reassurance that he didn't want his prize she left it for him to do with as he pleased. The unique item revealed itself to be a Zodiac Gate Key — the Gate of the Lion Key, Leo.

A nauseous feeling crept up her throat as she recalled Zeref's warning; he had said she could revel in _her_ victory, and the gift of the key seemed to be mocking her. Just what did Zeref want from her? She was convinced now more than ever that the developer was the cause of all the abnormalities she had faced. Natsu had said earlier that it was strange for low levelled players to wield such advanced spellcraft, and yet she had been summoning Zodiac Spirits since the very first day. Something ominous was brewing, and she knew that she would have a large part to play in it.

The key hummed in her grip, almost eager to be summoned, but Lucy returned it to her inventory. Her magic was needed for other things; there was no doubt that the others had suffered greatly, and with Wendy drained of her magic Lucy would have to volunteer what meagre restorative magic she could summon. The pounding of footsteps alerted her to that, and she allowed herself a single moment to take some deep breaths. Erza's voice reached her next, and she felt her lips lift with a relieved smile. The woman appeared fine if not a little worse for wear; her armour had begun to deteriorate in some places, and the skin that shone through was splattered with blood.

"Are you okay?" she rushed forward, one of her few restorative potions materialising as she called upon it.

Erza rejected the vial, instead pulling Gray closer. "I am fine, but Gray took a nasty hit to the right side. We've managed to staunch the bleeding but we weren't quite able to disinfect the wound."

Lucy dropped to her knees by Gray's side, prodding at his ribs to establish any breaks. There appeared to be none, and she directed her attention back to the gory mess of his torso.

"That's what I get for playing the hero," he hissed as Lucy began to lathe away the blood staining his entire right torso.

"What happened?" she asked Erza, eyes lifting briefly to meet the woman's gaze.

"We were accosted by regenerating Type A beasts. Each time we managed to kill one, another materialised in its place," Erza's eyes surveyed the cavern then, features losing some of her composure. "Levy told me what happened to Natsu and Wendy. Thank you for following your instincts — you saved them both, Lucy."

Lucy's gaze lowered. "All I did was find them. Gajeel and Levy were the ones to free them."

"And all the same," Erza forced Lucy's head up. " _Thank you_."

"Is it true that Flamebrain ripped out one of Fenrir's hearts?" Gray muttered, face screwed against the pain.

She tipped a pain relief elixir to his lips, a smile on her own. "That he did."

Erza left them to reconvene with Levy and Gajeel, and Lucy focused on wrapping Gray's torso in cloth bandages. There was not much else she could do on her own; they would all need to visit the hospital in Magnolia. They all ambled as a group from the dungeon, the injured propped on makeshift stretchers that Gajeel and Levy had fashioned by combining their two magics.

Once reconvened with the rest of the guild that had broken from the dungeon, they were welcomed by the news that Fairy Tail hadn't suffered any deaths this time, but some of the lower-levelled guilds had endured great consequences. They did what they could by providing comfort and reassurances, but there was little they could do when those guilds decided the front lines were not a risk they were willing to subject their members into taking. The guilds left were those managed by beta testers, and even their members had been dwindled by Zeref's trickery.

Lucy huddled closer to Natsu, now awake but no less drowsy. Wendy had yet to wake from her exhausted slumber, and Lucy cast her a concerned look where she lay draped over Gajeel's back. She would at least a week to recover from such a drain, and that was only if magic depletion syndrome didn't claim her. Lucy decided then to never let the girl leave her sight until she had recovered completely.

"You okay?" she hummed as nightfall drew closer, and the first stars brave enough to peek through the dusk twinkled brightly alongside the moons.

Natsu's flattened hair tickled her neck as he nodded, his yawn wide enough for her to count each of his canines. "Tired. What about Wendy?"

"Still asleep," she whispered, threading her fingers through the hem of her tunic. "I'm worried about her."

Natsu stayed quiet, sharp gaze watching his cousin as she shifted closer to Gajeel in her sleep. "I think she'll be okay."

"I won't be happy until she's cleared of magic depletion syndrome. And even then I'll worry. She's so young, Natsu, and for her to experience a trauma like that I'm concerned her mental health may be affected—"

Natsu closed his hand over her lips, the full brunt of his glare oddly reassuring. He was more like the Natsu she knew, not the wounded man she had watched be torn apart or the man she had brought back from the fringe of death.

"We will look after her. I agree with you, Luce, but she doesn't need to be treated like glass. She's a Dragneel; it'll only piss her off."

"You're sure?" she mumbled into his palm, and the dramatic roll of his eyes split her lips with a smile.

* * *

The NPC's at the hospital worked their way through each player until they were all cleared of any ailments or injuries. The healing magic of the nurses felt much different to the restorative power of players following the healing path; it felt like she had swallowed an entire litre of vigour elixir, and the extra stamina spilt out of her. Her hands almost shook with the added energy, and she could sense Natsu struggling from beside her. Flames kept flaring over his skin, his veins almost smouldering like channels of lava, but she was glad that the magic didn't burn her. It seemed soothingly warm, and she almost welcomed each flare up as it circled both of their arms and shoulders.

"Is this normal?" she asked no one, tensing her calf muscles as a form of self-restraint.

"Unfortunately," Erza muttered, brow laced tightly as she too fought the urge to burn off the energy. "Players get addicted to this sensation. It is almost like a drug; they feel invincible, and so they'll keep taking larger risks until they eventually burn out or lose their lives to recklessness."

"It figures," Lucy seethed, remembering Zeref's deceit in Fenrir's dungeon. She ignored the look Natsu cast her way, choosing to instead slump against the wall behind her. "Who else are we waiting for?"

"Stripper and Wen. They needed more healing than us."

Lucy's gaze sought them out, and she smiled ecstatically when Wendy's tired eyes blinked back at her. Gray was almost done, the continued diagnostic charm shifting from orange to yellow rapidly. Soon they could return to the guild for a quick meal before going home.

When they finally walked through the guild hall as a group, it was late in the evening. Mira had prepared no less than a feast, and despite the trauma of that day, they were able to indulge. Lucy sipped her honeywine slowly, letting herself be carried away by the energy of Fairy Tail. There were smiles all around, and if she hadn't witnessed firsthand the events that transpired, she could almost be convinced that it was an ordinary day.

In the end, she had to drag Natsu away from the festivities so that they and Wendy and could get some much-needed rest. Her partner had managed to finish an entire bottle of firewhiskey, and her patience was wearing thin. When they finally stumbled through the threshold of Natsu's home, Lucy dumped him on the couch to sober up as she and Wendy bathed in the natural onsen at the back of the cottage, which Natsu kept roaring at all hours. It was in the safety of the deep pool and the four water-slicked walls that she let her tears flow freely, and Wendy took it in stride, curling into Lucy's back as the woman finally let herself break.

"I'm sorry, that was selfish," she managed through her thick throat, scrubbing the sorrow from every inch of her skin with a pumice stone and castile soap.

"It's okay to cry, Lucy," Wendy reassured. "My mama used to tell me that you're no use to anyone if you're bottling up your sadness. How can you help people when you're hurting?"

"Your mother sounds like a wise lady," Lucy hummed.

"She was," Wendy said wistfully, "I loved her so much."

Lucy could recognise the longing for her own, and she bundled Wendy in an embrace. "My mama is gone too, but I can always trust that she's with me in my heart. I know that yours is too."

"Thank you for everything," Wendy choked, and Lucy held her tightly as the girl shuddered with her own soundless cries.

* * *

That night Wendy joined them in Natsu's bed, the girl huddled in between their two bodies. Lucy had long ago lost all sense of propriety, and so she snuggled into the both of them, arms joining Natsu's as they wrapped around Wendy, and her legs entangled with his. Despite her best efforts sleep evaded her, and she listened to the heavy breathing of Wendy and Natsu as she desperately tried to fall asleep.

The day weighed heavily on her. The nagging, implacable thought that she was somehow to blame for everything that happened in that dungeon filled her with guilt. Zeref wanted something from her. But what? And what more could she possibly give? Would the man continue to put those she cared about at risk and force her to watch it, like he had tried to with Fenrir? She knew with all her heart that it would break her to see someone else put in such a position. Gods, she had been willing to tear herself apart if it meant she could just get through that barrier to Natsu and Wendy, and if Levy and Gajeel hadn't have stopped her, she knew she would have died today. The revelation of Natsu and Zeref being siblings still needled at her, like barbed wire had replaced her nerve endings. It repulsed her — after all, Natsu was so full of love and light and Zeref was so capable of snuffing out lifelights as easily as he could wield the blades that slit throats. He had been willing to kill Natsu today. That trap, as much as it seemed to be designed for her, was intended for him, too.

Was that what Zeref wanted, to watch them tear themselves apart? Why? What lines was he willing to cross, and would he ever stop?

Natsu's hitched breathing brought her from those thoughts, and she curled herself tighter against him, mindful of the slumbering Wendy between them. She whispered sweet nothings and traced gentle caresses into whatever part of him she could reach, intent on chasing away whatever darkness had stolen him. His moans settled to whimpers, and from the whimpers came small, gasping breaths. She pinned his hips down with her leg when he began to thrash, and she was thankful when his flaring nostrils managed to catch her scent amidst his night terror. He settled completely then, a mumbled version of her name trickling up his hoarse throat.

"It's me. You're safe, I've got you, shh…" she repeated, over again until his brow relaxed and his breathing slowed.

She found her own sleep like that, and when the morning sun rose all three of them were mindless to it, sleeping heavily into the afternoon. Later, she realised just how much she cared for her new companions, and how she could readily admit she loved them.

Lucy could only hope that it wasn't her love that stole the life from them.

* * *

WHAT HAVE I DONE.

On another note, WOW, you guys are killing it. Thank you so much for all the support, all your reviews, all your theories and hopes! I hope I answered some of your questions with this chapter, and if not, next chapter should solve most of them. However, on that note, I need to let you all know that I need to take a short break from DoDK. I have a month and a half left of year 13 and a mountain of work that refuses to disappear. So uh, I'm gonna go do that.

As always, thank you to my beta **noseinabook145**. She has caught more plot holes than I care to admit, so thank you for catching me up on all those!

Also, REVIEW MILESTONE! 20 reviews in just two chapters?! oh my god. thankyou.

 _ **Review replies:**_

 **endailles,** thanks hunny! Mashima really messed up with not doing wolf spirits, how amaizng are they?! Mavis bless u more xx

 **4evrDorkly17,** such a tease! Tell me allll of your theories, I live for them.

 **Wiintery,** awww, I'm so glad to have made your day!

 **MotherOfDragons1227,** thank you so much! I hope this chapter answered most of your questions about Natsu.

 **SleepinBeautyK,** the possibilities are most definitely endless! I must say, your theories are actually super close to what's coming up soon... and with what happened in this chapter!

 **narutoyaoifan,** I love Mard Geer too! The power to the thorn curse?! Sign me up! It's like, all of my Poison Ivy dreams come true ugh.

 **stranger1999,** awww thankyou! I'm loving their relo just as much, I live and breathe it tbh.

 **Firefly9917,** your wish is my command!


End file.
